The Nightmare Draft Scenarios for the Vikings in 2026
Enthusiasm is jacked for the Minnesota Vikings in the 2026 NFL Draft, mainly because the franchise found a quarterback in Kyler Murray, the previously poor-drafting general manager has been removed from his chair, and the club has nine picks to spend. Nevertheless, like every year, a few nightmare scenarios lurk.
Several draft outcomes would leave Minnesota in a much worse spot after Round 1.
From bad to awful, consider the following list a worst-case scenario compilation for the Vikings at the end of the month.
A Handful of Draft Outcomes Could Go Sideways for Minnesota
How livid would you be if these events transpired?
Drafting an OT
Would it be fundamentally terrible to select an offensive tackle in Round 1? No, not at all. That spot is a premium position.
However, Minnesota jumping into a bed with Round 1 offensive tackle would forebodingly suggest a grim fate for Christian Darrisaw’s ACL. If the Vikings need a new tackle, it would mean they don’t trust Darrisaw for the long haul — or that Brian O’Neill’s days are numbered.
Picking an OT is not a popular sentiment right now in the mock-draft community, but it would cause head-scratches among fans if it came to fruition.
Reaching for a Round 2 Player
A dirty little secret about last year’s draft for the Vikings? Their 1st-Rounder, Donovan Jackson, lived at No. 39 on the Consensus Big Board, and Minnesota drafted him at No. 24. While the working theory suggests the Houston Texans would’ve grabbed Jackson via the following pick after Minnesota, it still reached for a guy that most draft heads pegged as a 2nd-Rounder.
Jackson has worked out so far in Minnesota, and nobody really regrets the pick. But reaching for 2nd-Rounders should not be the new normal.
For example, if you hear on Thursday, April 23rd, “With the 18th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select …. cornerback Chris Johnson, San Diego State,” that will mean Minnesota picked the draft’s 42nd-best player on the Consensus Big Board at No. 18.
That’s not the ideal scenario.
An example: in March, A to Z Sports‘ Tyler Forness mock-drafted Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen to Minnesota, explaining, “Linebacker isn’t at the top of the needs for the Vikings across the board, but it’s one long-term need. They don’t have a linebacker signed to the roster after the 2026 season, with Blake Cashman set to be a free agent. Allen has all of the ability to thrive in Brian Flores’ defense and can be eased into the role.”
Allen is a fine prospect, but picking him 18th is a reach.
Trading Too Far Down
On the other hand, while trading down with a team at No. 18 might be smart — the Vikings can probably get a 2nd-Rounder or 3rd-Rounder by moving down 10-15 spots — they must avoid getting too cute.
For instance, a trade down to No. 28 is fine. Let’s do it. A trade down to No. 45 is not good business. Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski must thread the needle if he trades down, adding another Top 100 pick but still staying in Round 1 or at the Top of Round 2.
There’s a risk of stockpiling five or six players from the draft’s Top 10 — but not landing a blue-chip 1st-Rounder.
The Lewis Cine trade from four years ago is a good (bad?) recent example.
Our Brevan Bane wrote this week, “It is my belief that the Vikings should double-up in the secondary with their first two selections. They also hold the 49th overall selection in the second round, where someone like D’Angelo Ponds or Chris Johnson could be available.”
“Corners are very hard to predict, as we thought there would be plenty taken in the first round last year, when in reality, there were only 2.5 (.5 being Travis Hunter) taken. The first true CB, Jahdae Barron, wasn’t taken until pick 20 by Denver.”
Drafting Ty Simpson at No. 18
The Vikings don’t need a quarterback from this draft. They just don’t.
Some, like former NFLer Chase Daniel, have suggested that Minnesota should take a flyer on Simpson in Round 1, even if Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy are attached to the roster. Daniel is wrong; Murray and McCarthy are enough for Minnesota to determine in 2026 if it has a franchise quarterback.
Additionally, the upcoming draft class stinks for quarterback talent, and if Murray and McCarthy don’t pan out, the 2027 draft class is much deeper at the position. The Vikings shouldn’t reach for a quarterback just because McCarthy hasn’t fully blasted off yet.
In fact, there’s a decent chance that Murray plays so well that the franchise considers him the quarterback for the long haul.
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