Ideal Vikings Draft Pick Is a Curveball
Most mock drafts send Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman to the Twin Cities, but the club could use the draft capital to address other needs. Also popular in Skol Nation are the defensive line, the cornerback room, or weapons such as wide receivers or tight end Kenyon Sadiq.
For the first time in a while, the offensive line hasn’t generated much steam this offseason, a mid-round center excluded.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report thinks that position could be targeted in the first round, with pick 18. He named the ideal draft choice for every team and envisions Utah’s Spencer Fano looking nice in the purple uniform.
He wrote, “The Minnesota Viking’s discussion often starts with safety and has the last few years because of the uncertainty with long-term veteran Harrison Smith. The Vikes should absolutely consider Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman or Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren depending on who is available. A different option could bring a greater return, though.”
Indeed, this draft cycle has focused on the safety position, with Thieneman stealing the show in most mock drafts. A few pivoted to McNeil-Warren, who’s also viewed as a potential first-rounder.
Sobleski explained, however, “At this very moment, Utah’s Spencer Fano is the class’ best offensive lineman. He doesn’t have the upside or length of others in the class, which is why his projection becomes murkier. For the Vikings, he’s the best possible player they can land at this juncture and he potentially fills a significant need.”
Fano ranks 11th on Arif Hasan’s consensus big board and he would be a steal at 18. Fano spent his college career at offensive tackle, which is why his selection would be strange at first.
The Vikings still employ tackle duo Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw. The latter has not fully recovered from his torn ACL sustained during the 2024 season and the former is in the final year of his contract. O’Neill has been excellent for the Vikings, but he’ll turn 31 in September and will seek another lucrative contract that should surpass $20 million per year.
Suddenly, adding a talented offensive tackle could be a smart long-term investment. Due to Fano’s arm length, some have wondered whether the athletic blocker could be better suited at offensive guard.
“Fano is a natural right tackle,” Sobleski added, “but he’s often projected as an interior blocker, either at guard or possibly center. The Vikings can push him over the ball and allow him to take over for the retired Ryan Kelly. A year or two from now, Fano can move back to right tackle and replace Brian O’Neill. Either way, Minnesota gets a top-notch offensive line prospect to solidify its front five.”
A move from tackle to center would be strange, but that’s where the Vikings have an opening. Veteran Ryan Kelly retired after one season with the organization, leaving converted backup Blake Brandel, former seventh-rounder Michael Jurgens and a potential rookie to snap the ball to Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy.
The Ringer’s Todd McShay wrote in Fano’s pre-draft scouting report, “Hall of Fame center Kevin Mawae is another interesting though imperfect comp. Mawae played center in high school, moving to center as a senior at LSU in 1993, but he primarily played left tackle in college. While he didn’t play on the inside in college, Fano has the traits to develop into an excellent center in the NFL.”
Fano displayed the requisite movement skills at the scouting combine when he ran the 40 yards in 4.91 seconds.
Dane Brugler, the author of the annual draft guide The Beast, didn’t mention a transition to center, but he still had some glowing praise for the top tackle on his list: “Fano has the feet, demeanor and recovery balance of a starting NFL tackle. He also has a knack for losing slowly, despite possessing average length and core strength. He has the talent to be an immediate NFL starter at right tackle or guard.”
A long-term tackle option has perhaps been a forgotten draft need for the Vikings, for the simple reason that he wouldn’t fill an immediate hole like a new safety or a defensive lineman would. Still, it could pay dividends down the line and even help in the immediate future if Fano could, indeed, play center.
If he’s falling to 18, the Vikings should at least consider it.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.