The Vikings May Not Want to Pass on These 5 Prospects
There is no such thing as a “sure thing,” whether you’re talking about gambling or the NFL Draft. A horse race begins with a guess about the winner, and in a few minutes, you have confirmation.
When it comes to the draft, you may not know if a player is a winner or a bust until years later. Some get labels prematurely all the time. On draft day, teams can only do the best with the information they have from the combine and what they see on film.
These Top Prospects Could Force Minnesota’s Hand on Draft Night
With that knowledge in hand, there will be players that teams can’t pass on, no matter the need to shore up other positions. That doesn’t mean the Vikings will have the chance to draft them unless they take a tumble down the draft boards as other teams shore up positions of need. The chance is always there.
The argument over drafting for “position of need” versus “best player available” is a long, arduous one with no perfect answer.
The Vikings could be viewed as operating in either mode: drafting Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw when they needed to fill those roles, or drafting Randy Moss and Adrian Peterson when they already had a great receiving duo in Cris Carter and Jake Reed, or a 1,000-yard rusher in Chester Taylor. The best scenario is when it fits both aspects.
Last year, there was a glut of running backs, which could allow teams to wait until later rounds to draft one. There were still some players who, if they came to their team’s draft position, would have to take, or think long and hard about passing them up.
There were also many players in the top end of the 2025 draft that every team had to think a bit before changing those players’ and the team’s destiny. That all made it possible for more top players to slide down draft boards and cause chaos with picks most weren’t expecting. It’s a new year, and the team has new needs. This year’s draft is top-heavy but has some good depth. So, which players should the Vikings take without thought at pick 18 and a little beyond?
Sonny Styles
LB Ohio State
Linebacker isn’t in dire need of help, but there is a definite lack of depth. Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson have been very solid at the position the last few years, with the defense struggling when Cashman was out 2 seasons ago, and Wilson was on the Packers.
When he was out in 2025, Wilson really held everything together until he got back into the lineup. Styles is more athletic than both of them and has the potential to become a player like Micah Parsons, with his speed and ferocity at the position. The term “freak” gets thrown out at some players too often, but Styles is in that realm of possibly meeting those expectations.
With Cashman’s injury history and Wilson past 30, a youthful infusion and great upside in skill would make the defense even more dangerous, with a speedy blitzer coming from any angle. He could most likely move outside on passing downs and spell Johnathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel at times. Styles can hit, tackle, and drop into coverage and never have to leave the field, no matter the down or situation. He probably won’t slip all the way to 18, but if he does, the Vikings should use a Corvette to hand in the card.
Chances: 5%
Jeremiyah Love
RB Notre Dame
“Running backs are a devalued position in today’s NFL.” You can’t escape that statement in the off-season. However, I don’t think it’s as strong a statement as it has been. The last great running backs that teams built around were LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson, and it’s been about 10 years since they were viewed that way.
When the Super Bowl rolls around, it always seems the two teams have strong defenses and running backs that can keep the sticks moving. Kenneth Walker III was the MVP this year. Love may be in the vein of past running backs, with some experts saying he could be a generational player. He can do it all with the ball in his hands, whether the quarterback places it there with a handoff or a pass.
Once he gets loose, you can’t catch him, and if you do, he is hard to bring down. He also does a good job with pass protection, which head coaches love when they have a great or premier passer. Kevin O’Connell definitely rates that trait highly. Regardless of who quarterbacks the Vikings, Love would make the offense a headache for defensive coordinators.
Teaming him up with Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason gives the room depth like never before, with the trio capable of wearing the opposition down by sprinting and grinding out yardage. He has a good chance of slipping down due to his position, but there isn’t the depth of backs like last year, meaning teams will snatch them up earlier. The Vikings should ignore other positions if he is sitting there waiting to run rampant on the NFC North.
Chances: 50%
Carnell Tate
WR Ohio State
Do the Vikings need wide receiver depth? Do they need to take a receiver this early? On the first question, yes. The depth at receiver is questionable at best. On the second question, no, but it doesn’t hurt if the best is available. Tate is the prototypical wide receiver coming out of “THE” Ohio State: he is tall and can catch anything in his orbit.
Adding him to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson would make the passing game frightening should they all remain on the team. He is also immediate insurance should there be an injury, an off-field incident, or should Addison be traded or released in the future. Tate has the size, the hands, and the precise route running to put defensive backs on skates.
The only thing he lacks is top-end speed, but it doesn’t really matter. Cris Carter wasn’t known for his speed, and he seemed to do just fine in the NFL. His quickness off the line gets him in position quickly, and his athleticism to make difficult catches in and out of traffic makes him a threat all over the field. He’s fast enough. You can never have too much of a good thing, especially at the wide receiver position.
Chances: 25%
Kenyon Sadiq
TE Oregon
Tight end is also pretty shored up on the Vikings roster. Hockenson is back with a revised contract, and if the offensive line stays healthy, he can get back to what he does best: catch the football. Josh Oliver is known more for his blocking, but he has had solid receiving games since coming to Minnesota 2 years ago.
Ben Yurosek is a combination of the two, and I feel could be an impact player if he gets more time on the field. Sadiq is being seen as a bit of a “unicorn” at tight end with the combination of size and speed that goes with him. He can get down the field quickly, is tough to tackle, and can make athletic catches and runs if he doesn’t just bully his way through a tackle. His highlight tape has him not only running over tacklers but also hurdling their attempts.
Like Hockenson, a team could line him up outside at a wide receiver position, putting more pressure on the defense to maintain coverage. What I keep hearing is that he’s also a “willing blocker,” meaning it isn’t necessarily his strength, but he will do it and can be good enough. Whether J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray is at quarterback, having a tight end like him would be a godsend in targeted routes or if they need to get creative. He is a matchup nightmare for most linebackers and safeties in the league.
While this draft seems deep with tight ends, there is a significant drop from him to the next ones on the list. There’s a fair chance he will be available at the 18th pick, and the Vikings may need to pause if Sadiq and the next prospect are on the board.
Chances: 70%
Dillon Thieneman
S Oregon
15 years ago, the Vikings made a move back into the bottom of the first round for a safety named Harrison Smith. He was a rangy, smart, hard-hitting player on the Notre Dame squad that had few question marks coming into the draft.
He spent the next 14 seasons (so far?) wreaking havoc on opposing offenses in the run and pass game. Aaron Rodgers named him specifically as the one player he hated facing. Being that good and staying with one team your entire career is tough in today’s NFL. While safety isn’t seen as a high-priority position to fill, occasionally one or two players who are can’t-miss prospects garner attention in the 1st round.
Thieneman isn’t seen as the best prospect in the 2026 Draft at safety, but he’s the one most likely to be available at pick 18. Caleb Downs would be the guy if they were both sitting there. So why don’t I list him if anything is possible, and he falls to 18? This is more along the lines of taking a guy who will fill the void left by Smith, while others argue for taking a different position or player, or even trading down. In other words: don’t overthink it.
Yeah, just about every mock you see has him landing with the Vikings at 18 with just a few outliers. You know why? Because it makes sense. If he and Downs are both there at 18, I still take Thieneman because of what Lance Zierlein said in his analysis, “Thieneman is an extension of his defensive coordinator, aligning and adjusting the secondary to motion and pre-snap shifts.” Exactly like Smith with Brian Flores.
The choice would be razor thin, but this puts him over the top and could make him the higher of the two taken come draft day.
Chances: 80%
You must be logged in to post a comment.