3 Vikings Draft Fits Ahead of the 2nd and 3rd Rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft
Conversation about Vikings draft fits doesn’t end after the opening round. Far from it, in fact. There’s a pretty persuasive case to be made that a major part of what is hindering Minnesota’s roster is the failure from the 2nd onward in recent years, so these next few selections look vital.
The Vikings’ highest remaining selection arrives at No. 49, roughly in the middle of the 2nd. There’s then No. 82 (mid 3rd) alongside No. 97 (late 3rd). Combined, those three picks need to produce a minimum of one strong starter, but Minnesota’s leadership will obviously be looking for more.
3 Vikings Draft Fits for Friday Night
Player #1 — Jacob Rodriguez, LB from Texas Tech
The linebacker spot needs an infusion of youth. Why not a promising ‘backer with a tremendous mustache?
Rodriguez is coming off a sizzling season for Texas Tech. Pulling up his stats means seeing someone who offered 128 tackles, 1 sack, and 11 tackles for loss. He had 4 interceptions, 6 passes defended, 7 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and a touchdown. Add it all together and the linebacker finished fifth in the Heisman voting.
Other Names to Know: CJ Allen, Jake Golday
Player #2 — Logan Jones, C from Iowa
Pretty soon, there’s going to be a run on centers. A cluster of four fellas appear likely to get scooped up on Day 2. Losing out on those options isn’t the death knell to the Vikings’ season but there’s good reason to support drafting legit competition to start in Week 1.
Logan Jones is an athlete. A touch undersized, but someone who moves very well. He therefore brings back memories of Garrett Bradbury. The former Vikings center was excellent when it came to screens or a reach block, but he got bullied by powerful DTs (like Caleb Banks, perhaps). Being a touch sturdier in pass protection will mean that Jones is a great choice.
Other Names to Know: Sam Hecht, Jake Slaughter, Connor Lew
Player #3 — De’Zhaun Stribling, WR from Ole Miss
People can debate how urgent the need is at WR3. I, for one, see the reason for panic being close to zero, but others think that tossing a promising new receiver into the mix makes sense.
In Stribling, the Vikings would be adding someone with very good size and speed. Even better is that he’s a menace when run blocking. Every single coach (at essentially all levels of football) cherishes a receiver who blocks in the run game.
Other Names to Know: Ted Hurst, Antonio Williams
