Mel Kiper Jr. Goes Explosive Route in Latest Vikings Mock Draft
In the upcoming NFL draft, the Minnesota Vikings could use some young reinforcements to bolster the aging roster. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired after four years and long-time executive Rob Brzezinski will guide the Vikings through the event instead.
While the identity of the top decision-maker has changed in the Twin Cities, the 18th overall pick in mock drafts has mostly remained the same this year. Safety Dillon Thieneman is linked to the Vikings in pretty much every mock draft and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. also sent the Oregon defender to Minnesota.
In Round 2, he views running back Mike Washington Jr. as a potential target for Minnesota’s 49th overall pick. Both are among the most explosive players in this year’s draft class.
He wrote about Thieneman, “Along with many evaluators, I’ve been projecting Thieneman to Minnesota since before the combine. There’s still uncertainty around Harrison Smith’s status, but it’s sort of irrelevant because the Vikings have to start planning for the future at safety, whether or not Smith is back there in 2026. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores would have Thieneman lined up all over the place to create havoc. He can create turnovers (eight career interceptions), too.”
Indeed, as Smith is still weighing his options, finding a successor is key, given that the former first-rounder has patrolled the defensive unit for more than a decade.
Thieneman has the talent to become the new anchor of the purple defense. In his two campaigns at Purdue (2023-2024), Thieneman served as a deep safety, while he played more in the box at Oregon in 2025. He certainly has the talent and the football IQ to be a movable chess piece in Brian Flores’ defense.
Furthermore, he has an intriguing athletic profile, highlighted by a 4.35 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. He’d be a Day 1 contributor, regardless of Smith’s decision.
At safety, the Vikings will continue to rely on Swiss Army knife Joshua Metellus, but his wingmen remain in question. Jay Ward and Theo Jackson shared one rotational role last year and it’s unclear whether Flores trusts either one with a full-time job.
Another freak athlete could arrive at the running back position. Washington Jr. starred at Arkansas last season and later turned heads at the scouting combine with unique size and speed measurements.
Kiper Jr. explained, “Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason are on expiring deals, and Washington’s 4.33 speed would add another element to the offense (which also now features Kyler Murray’s mobility under center). Washington ran for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and he added 28 catches out of the backfield.”
The Vikings haven’t drafted a running back since DeWayne McBride and they haven’t spent a top-100 pick since Dalvin Cook in 2017. Jones and Mason will man the backfield this season, but they are on borrowed time with expiring contracts. They are also 31 and 26 (soon 27) years old. He has the homerun ability the veterans lack.
Washington is 6’1″ and 223 lbs and still demonstrated his speed with a 4.33 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. He possesses a rare combination of size and speed and is undoubtedly one of the best athletes in the draft. Picking him 49th might be a little steep, but he has the talent to be the long-term answer at running back the Vikings haven’t had in a while.
Kiper Jr. views a pair of uber-athletic prospects as fits for the Vikings. We’ll learn about their draft plans in eight days.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.