The Vikings’ New Draft Pick Tally Comes into Focus
Soon enough, the 2027 NFL Draft is going to be here. Many think that looking so far ahead is foolish — truth be told, I am among these people — but the franchise plans multiple years at a time. Why can’t we do similarly?
Under the leadership of Rob Brzezinski, the Vikings scooped up nine new players in the 2026 NFL Draft. Part of what made Brzezinski’s decision making fascinating was his concerted effort to restock the cupboards. A lot of his emphasis rested on getting the finances back into a strong shape, but he also tried to preserve and expand next year’s draft pick total.
The Vikings’ Draft Pick Tally for 2027
Credit where it’s due: Spotrac helped to remind me of a pick swap I had forgotten about. So, well done, salary cap website.
Check out the lay of the land as of April of 2026:
- 1st (MIN)
- 2nd (MIN)
- 3rd (MIN)
- 3rd (PHI)
- 5th (MIN)
- 5th (CAR)
- 6th (NYJ)
- 6th (COMP)
- 7th (PHI)
Already, the outlook is a bit hazy. Shuffling has taken place, leading to picks that have been sent out or welcomed aboard. The Jonathan Greenard trade involved adding another 3rd. The (misguided) Adam Thielen trade led to forfeiting that 4th but a 5th has been tossed into the mix. And then the (misguided) Harrison Phillips trade led to adding that extra 6th. The Philadelphia 7th is part of the Sam Howell trade from the end of training camp in 2025.
Minnesota’s 6th is gone due to the Demond Claiborne trade. Quite possibly, the Vikings felt okay reaching into next year’s collection of 6th-Round selections due to that hard-earned compensatory selection.
Lots of discussion took place during the draft about the haul from the Jonathan Greenard trade. Was it enough? Online quibbling will continue, but the 3rd for 2027 is incoming no matter what. That’s within the collection of top-100 picks that got so much attention during the draft.
By definition, that Eagles draft pick is going to arrive within the top-100 selections. The end of the 3rd crosses into the low 100s, but that’s due to compensatory selections. The true 3rd-Round picks finish off at No. 96. Even if the Eagles win the Super Bowl, the Vikings will get a minimum of No. 96. If, however, the opposite occurs (unlikely as that is), the Vikings could be sitting atop No. 65.
Crunching the numbers makes the picks look accordingly:
- MIN’s 1st: Somewhere between No. 1 & No. 32
- MIN’s 2nd: Somewhere between No. 33 & No. 64
- MIN’s 3rd: Somewhere between No. 65 & No. 96
- PHI’s 3rd: Somewhere between No. 65 & No. 96
Bringing the discussion back to the present moment means stepping into an ongoing debate.
The current discussion has been focusing on Caleb Banks, the remarkably gifted (and funny) defensive tackle who got chosen at No. 18. Seeing the young fella reach his potential will mean that nobody cares about sinking a 1st into a good-sized lad with foot issues since he’s sensational when he’s on. Seeing the young fella fall short will lead to the Vikings getting skewered in the online chatter.
Indeed, the Vikings’ top leaders were defiant in their optimism, so much so that they’ve invited strong criticism if the worst case arrives. Very little goodwill has been built up due to recent foibles in the draft. The Banks pick must work out; if it doesn’t, then the franchise is going to feel it.
Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Next year, the Vikings’ draft effort is going to be similarly pivotal. The cap is sitting in a better spot but still isn’t perfect. Seeing Kyler Murray shine will mean needing to send out major money. Seeing J.J. McCarthy shine will mean needing to budget for his extension.
Offsetting pricey QB deals becomes a whole lot easier when young contributors are playing on artificially cheap deals. Indeed, the absolute best thing a team can do to get the budget into a good spot is to draft well.
Next year, the team is working with eight locked-in draft picks alongside an expected ninth due to the compensatory picks process.
