In a Subtle Way, The Vikings May Have Tipped their Hand with a Specific Strategy
Last year, the emphasis was all about the Vikings moving in a certain direction: up.
Originally, there was the No. 11 pick. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah then made his first leap, cashing in a pair of 2nd-Round selections for No. 23 (with a couple more less valuable picks tossed in there). During the draft itself, both of those selections ended up being used as the centerpiece for two more trades up the board. No. 11 was used to get to No. 10 to select J.J. McCarthy; No. 23 was used to get to No. 17 to select Dallas Turner.
Step forward into the present moment and things appear to be leaning in a different direction. Most think that the Vikings should go in a particular direction: down.
To be sure, there’s good reason to support the idea even if there are concerns about dropping too far (read what Jeff Diamond has to say on Vikings Territory). The Vikings have just four draft picks, meaning the cupboard is pretty bare. As a result, the idea of moving up for a tumbling talent in the 1st Round always seemed unlikely, but Kwesi Adofo-Mensah may have subtly confirmed the idea in his recent press conference.
The Vikings May Have Tipped their Hand a Bit
First, consider the context. The GM was responding to a question about whether to move down or stick at No. 24. Focusing on those two paths thus makes sense.
At first, he delves into the importance of pursuing “impact.” “A lot of times, it’s impact,” Adofo-Mensah explained. “And that impact can be one great player or multiple good players. Also realizing that it’s uncertain, and you don’t know necessarily for sure that the one player is going to be good, and all those different dynamics. So that’s really the conversation you have.”
Consider one of his main thoughts: “You’re picking 24th, you better […] have 24 names that you’re willing to stand up and clap and feel great about. So that’s the first and foremost and the foundation of how we build this thing. The trades and all those things, the scenarios, they come.”
Step back a bit to unpack what’s being said.
Per Adofo-Mensah, the Vikings are operating with some urgency to ensure that they have at least twenty-four players who they like in the opening round. Doing so ensures that there’s a minimum of one player on the board whom the team covets when Minnesota is on the clock in the opening round.
Back in 2023, the Vikings held onto the No. 23 selection, pulling receiver Jordan Addison out of the draft.
At the end of his response, there’s a mention of seeing if trades “come.” In other words, the GM knows that he can’t predict what kind of interest there will be in the No. 24 pick until the moment actually arrives. Sure, there are probably preliminary conversations taking place to gauge openness for trading on draft night, but those conversations are hypothetical until reality arrives.
Within those conversations, how many are asking about the Vikings moving up? How many are about moving down? Gotta think that the downward possibility is the one getting ample consideration. After all, part of Adofo-Mensah’s response features talk about scooping up multiple “good” players after adding more picks rather than staying put for a single “great” player.
Something to note is that Adofo-Mensah has never completed a draft without at least a single trade up. In 2022, the GM moved up for corners Andrew Booth Jr. and then Akayleb Evans. In 2023, the GM moved up for defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy. In 2024, the GM moved up for quarterback J.J. McCarthy and edge rusher Dallas Turner (as previously mentioned).
Now, it’s worth noting that we’re still dealing with a small sample size: just a trio of drafts. The takeaway is simply that he’s willing to be aggressive.
In the 1st, seeing the Vikings climb the board would be surprising. A very special player would need to be falling down the board. In that scenario, Adofo-Mensah could be tempted to leverage his 2026 draft capital to facilitate a modest hop up by a few spots. Some sort of dramatic climb, though, feels very unlikely.
After all, the GM himself seemed to suggest that he’s looking forward to a draft where he’s preparing for a good player at 24th before then seeing if there are any trade offers made when his team is considering the available talent. The safest guess, then, is that we’re going to see someone get chosen at No. 24 or a move down.
The final caveat is simply that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has a reputation for being bold, unafraid to pursue his vision even if it’s controversial. So, don’t count your purple chickens until they’ve hatched. Moving up is unlikely; the outcome, however, isn’t impossible.
The 2025 NFL Draft gets going on Thursday, April 24th.
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.
