A Vikings Mock Draft After Free Agency Patched Up MIN’s Urgent Roster Needs
The Vikings mock drafts are already plentiful. But, to be sure, things are going to increase over the coming weeks.
At the end of April, Minnesota is going to jump into the 2026 NFL Draft. Rob Brzezinski (the current GM) is sitting atop nine draft picks (including a compensatory selection). NFL executives love to talk about never reaching to fill a roster need, but that’s only sort of true. Consider where Minnesota could go based on how things look at present given that the huge needs at QB, CB, LB, and RB have been addressed.
A Vikings Mock Draft with Free Agency
To begin, note that PFF offered the mock draft simulator. I ran through a trio to get a sense of the different possibilities.
The debut draft wasn’t particularly inspiring, at least not if the hope was for some sort of peculiar tumble involving RB Jeremiyah Love and/or S Caleb Downs (not happening, folks). The decision was to bring Akheem Mesidor to town. Doing so shores up the pass rusher depth at a time when Andrew Van Ginkel moves into his final season under contract while Jonathan Greenard sits in a tricky spot.
Mr. Mesidor, a Canadian, comes in at an imposing 6’3″ and 280 pounds, the kind of size that could allow him to get moved around the defensive line. Last season, Mesidor had 63 tackles to stand alongside 17.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks.
Opting for an edge rusher (especially one who is older) wouldn’t arrive with universal applause. Do note, though, that the option is there. In the modern NFL, there’s no such thing as too much pass rushing talent.
In the next mock, the decision was to scoop up linebacker CJ Allen. At 21, the Georgia defender is younger than most. He is built for the modern game, coming in at 6’1″ and 235, meaning he looks more like Eric Kendricks than Brian Urlacher.
His 2025 season involved 88 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, and 4 passes defended. Check out the scouting note from Lance Zierlein: “‘Green dot’ linebacker and team captain more capable of rowing the boat than making big splashes. Allen plays with toughness and control, sorting through run fits with patience and leverage in pursuit. He has average trigger quickness and pursuit speed, which forces him to work harder to get to junction points when facing climbing blockers.”
Admittedly, those words seem to describe like a low-ceiling player, a great leader but not a tremendous athlete. Just note that there’s a need for youthful ‘backer help given where Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson are in their careers.
The Vikings mock draft to finish things off involved scooping up WR Makai Lemon. How about a tremendous receiver to get filthy rich?
The Minnesota Vikings are officially moving ahead with the Kyler Murray era. Giving him another high-end pass catcher feels borderline unfair. Lemon put together a sizzling 2025 season that involved earning a 90.8 PFF grade (elite) while seeing his catches come in at 79, his yards at 1,156, and touchdowns at 11.
The Vikings are moving into the 2026 NFL Draft with nine draft picks. Most valuable of all is No. 18, a selection that’s going to get pulled all over the place in the mock drafts that are yet to arrive.
Editor’s Note: Information from Sports Reference CFB helped with this piece.
