Exploring the Vikings’ Draft Outlook in 2026 as the 2025 Season Unravels
Minnesota’s leadership won’t admit defeat, but the team’s effort has left the Vikings’ draft outlook as one of the year’s preeminent stories.
Currently, Minnesota is holding onto eight selections. Seeing the total bump up to a minimum of nine appears like a locked-in certainty. Per Nick Korte of Over the Cap, Minnesota is moving toward securing a 3rd-Round compensatory selection for seeing Sam Darnold walk. Will Minnesota have a top-ten selection? If so, who could be the target? What are the broader positions of need?
The Vikings’ Draft Outlook for the 2026 NFL Draft
Losing J.J. McCarthy to concussion is yet another gut punch.
To be sure, the sophomore was playing football so horrendous that awful (or horrendous) doesn’t do the on-field play justice. He regularly missed open receivers, takes a pile of hits, and gives the ball to the other team multiple times a game. All while failing to possess the ball or score points. And while there’s some reason to believe he’ll become very good someday — as I do — the current level of play has been benchable.
Regardless of what happens at quarterback (genuinely, I’ve got my fingers crossed for the kid’s health), Minnesota’s season may continue spiralling.
When success becomes impossible in the present moment, the focus begins shifting toward the future. Nowhere is the future more exciting than in the draft. Consider the selections coming over to the Vikings:
- 1st Round
- 2nd Round
- 3rd Round
- 5th Round
- 6th Round
- 7th Round
- 7th Round
- 7th Round
Not included within that projection is the Darnold compensatory selection. Have a look at where things stand with the No. 97 pick tossed into the mix:
- 1st Round
- 2nd Round
- 3rd Round
- 3rd Round
- 5th Round
- 6th Round
- 7th Round
- 7th Round
- 7th Round
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has done a very poor job of drafting.
The Vikings’ 2022 draft crew is almost a total write off. In 2023, there’s Jordan Addison and Jay Ward, but Minnesota has exiled four of the six selections already. The 2024 group contains promise — Dallas Turner, Levi Drake Rodriguez, Will Reichard — but that cluster of talent hinges on Mr. McCarthy.
Most recently, Donovan Jackson was the opening-round selection for the Vikings, someone who appears to have been worth it. His on-field play has been very promising. And then there’s his team-first approach, toughness, and compete. Jackson may one day have a “C” slapped onto his chest.
The later selections all create questions, with rotational d-lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins offering the most promise.
On Thursday, April 23, 2026, the Vikings’ draft will get going (alongside the rest of the league). Sitting on nine selections, Minnesota is well positioned to restock the cupboards with young, upside talent. Landing a top-ten selection could lead to drafting an elite corner, defensive tackle, or running back (among other positions of need).
Quickly scouring Jordan Reid’s board (ESPN) leaves one intrigued by safety Caleb Downs, running back Jeremiyah Love, corner Mansoor Delane, and defensive tackle Peter Woods (among others). The Vikings are playing football at a level where some of these players could be on the board when it’s their turn to pick.
Minnesota takes on Seattle on Sunday. Losing would mean sitting at 4-8.
