Vikings Reportedly Doing Homework on Highspeed Runner
The draft is just a week and a half away and the Vikings have nine picks in the three-day event. With those, they can acquire the next generation of Vikings and the club certainly needs some fresh legs in the building.
In the first round, most speculation has centered around safety Dillon Thieneman. Of course, the Vikings could also bolster another position group in the top round. One position that will not be on the menu with the 18th overall pick is running back, but that could be addressed later in the draft.
The franchise has reportedly done “a lot of homework” on running back Demond Claiborne from Wake Forest, according to Jordan Reid, ESPN’s draft analyst. He added, “he’s somebody that I’ve heard they like quite a bit.”
Reid views the speedy rusher as a diet version of veteran Aaron Jones, who is set to return for a third season after agreeing to a pay cut.
Claiborne is an intriguing back for the Vikings because he brings the speed to the table that the current duo of Jones and Jordan Mason lacks. At the scouting combine, he ran the 40 yards in 4.37 seconds. He’s on the lighter side for a running back at 5’10” and 188 lbs.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his draft profile: “Claiborne is a twitched-up, elusive slasher who can turn minimal gains into explosive runs. He’s creative in tight quarters, using lateral agility and sudden feet to escape trouble. While willing to run between the tackles, his lack of size and strength limits his effectiveness in that area.”
He turned those wheels into 3,000 scrimmage yards and 28 touchdowns in four seasons at Wake Forest. After a slow first campaign, Claiborne rushed for 586 yards and five touchdowns in Year 2, followed by his most productive season on the ground, running for 1,049 yards and 11 scores. Last year, he still produced 907 yards and 10 touchdowns.
It is promising that his yards-per-attempt number has grown year over year, jumping from 4.6 to 5.1 in 2025. In addition to his work on the ground, Claiborne has the ability to catch the ball. His college resume shows 424 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Zierlein added, “His unpredictable nature — sometimes pulling runs off-track when profit is available — might frustrate coaches, but it also generates unexpected chunk plays. He projects as a middle-round, change-of-pace option and complementary back who can inject much-needed juice into a dull, predictable running game.”
Due to the lack of size, Claiborne doesn’t project as a true bellcow running back, but he could be an intriguing change-of-pace back, someone the Vikings use as a committee back during his rookie contract.
Neither Mason nor Jones is signed for the 2027 season. Depth player Ty Chandler was not retained, and Zavier Scott will return.
The Vikings ranked 27th in the NFL with 410 rushing attempts in 2025, but at least the team’s efficiency improved. Minnesota’s 4.5 yards per attempt ranked them just outside of the top ten. According to advanced numbers such as EPA/Rush (15th) and DVOA (13th), they are trending in the right direction after subpar results in previous campaigns under Kevin O’Connell’s watch.
Claiborne could provide the speed and big-play ability the Vikings haven’t had in a while. He’s expected to be available on Day 3 of the draft. The organization has not drafted a running back since 2023 (DeWayne McBride).
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.