The Vikings’ Draft Curveball and the Enigmatic Top Pick
The Vikings’ draft curveball may involve snagging a linebacker with the team’s highest pick.
Currently, the spot is sitting in good shape, being led by Blake Cashman — signed during last offseason’s wonderful free agency — alongside young stud Ivan Pace Jr. Hiding in plain sight, though, is a problem: the dramatic change that could occur at the position following the 2025 season. The top depth options — Eric Wilson & Brian Asamoah — will be free agents and Pace will be an RFA. Do the Vikings get ahead of the sticks by opting for a linebacker early?
The Vikings’ Draft Curveball: Going Linebacker Early
Step back to consider Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s full draft history and you’ll see that only a single linebacker has been chosen by the team’s GM: Mr. Asamoah, who got scooped up at No. 66 in 2022. Gotta assume, folks, that giving the GM a time machine would lead to Minnesota choosing someone different at that specific spot.
Nevertheless, the point remains that linebacker has been largely overlooked in the trio of drafts with Adofo-Mensah calling the shots. The major caveat is simply that Pace Jr. was added as an undrafted free agent, a reality that certainly offsets the relative neglect of the position. After all, we’re talking about someone who has definitively proven that he should have been drafted.
The question at this stage is whether the Vikings would seriously consider making another addition at linebacker. More specifically, would they dip into the draft to address the issue?
Wilson and Asamoah could be goners in ’26. Pace seems likely to desire a sizable raise and then Cashman (who turns 29 in May) could be cut for a savings of $4.4 million. Most likely is that the LB1 will stick around, possibly earning an extension to lower his cap charge, but remember that Minnesota is moving into a 2026 budget that’s already in debt.
A linebacker, then, shouldn’t be outright dismissed as a 1st-Round possibility. Likely? No, not really, but possible.
The top linebacker on PFF’s board is Jihaad Campbell, who is coming off an impressive season for Alabama. The 6’3″, 244-pound defender put up 637 snaps as a ‘backer, 112 along the defensive line, and 27 in the slot (alongside a few snaps at other spots). The size and versatility will be appealing to Brian Flores. Across thirteen games, Campbell picked up 117 tackles, 5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 passes defended, and 2 forced fumbles.
Part of the mix for Brian Flores’ play calling rests in employing defenders capable of doing various things well. Think Josh Metellus, Harrison Smith, and Andrew Van Ginkel. These intelligent, versatile players can basically line up anywhere, allowing the DC to be unpredictable on a play-by-play basis.
Yes, aggression is what Brian Flores is best known for, but confusion is a similarly vital ingredient to his overall defensive strategy. Confused football players play slower, tilting the advantage towards the Vikings’ defense.
Jihaad Campbell, perhaps, could fit into the mix as precisely the kind of versatile player who thrives under Flores’ tutelage. He is, after all, built like an edge rusher and yet primarily plays off-ball linebacker. The cherry on top is being able to do some damage in coverage, suggesting that he’s a high-level athlete who works hard and is smart.
Consider the brief scouting blurb from PFF: “Campbell has the ideal build and athletic ability to play any linebacker spot, but he projects best to a Mike or Sam LB in 4-3 schemes or a Mike/EDGE in a 3-4. He must continue to develop anticipation and strength, but he has the mold of an All-Pro player.”
The point, folks, isn’t necessarily that the Vikings are definitively targeting linebacker in RD1. Rather, the point is that it’s a sneaky roster need and we’re talking about a team that isn’t afraid of being bold.
If Jihaad Campbell — or perhaps a different linebacker — is capable of offering sizzling play while possessing the attributes Minnesota most covets (intelligence, versatility, aggression) then the pick shouldn’t be seen as coming out of nowhere.
The 2025 NFL Draft takes place from April 24th to April 26th.
Editor’s Note: Information from Sports Reference CFB, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
The Vikings’ Definition of Success in 2025
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.