The Vikings Picked Up Someone Who Planned to be a Navy Seal
In the 5th Round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Vikings picked up a fullback. He would have been a Navy Seal had he not become a great football player.
Michigan’s Max Bredeson is now in the Twin Cities. Presumably, he’s going to make the final roster, proving his worth by bulldozing defenders for Kevin O’Connell and by helping Matt Daniels on special teams. Part of Bredeson’s story that may have eluded a portion of the general public is that he would have become a Navy Seal if things had gone differently.
The Vikings Pick Up & The Navy Seal Path
As the Director of College Scouting, Mike Sholiton is a powerful voice within the world of the Minnesota Vikings. He relayed the update about the freshly-picked player after Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Consider what Sholiton had to say of Bredeson: “He was given one semester by his family to make it or he was going to have to choose something else to do, become a Navy Seal. And he bet on himself and became so valuable that Michigan felt that they had to bring him back for his extra year.” Not long afterwards, there was praise for demonstrating an ability to “star in [his] role.”
Apparently, Max Bredeson wasn’t regarded as a high-end prospect. Even his own family put a limit on his football career, clearing some runway for him to chase his dream but with a brick wall at the end. Failing to liftoff quickly would have resulted in seeing his football career come to abrupt end.
Note, as well, that Sholiton mentioned that Bredeson only touched the ball a pair of times last year. That’s important.
The Minnesota Vikings don’t have an offense with zero talent (contrary to what some insist). Last year, the Vikings had 954 plays on offense, but it was a bad year for the offense. Keep things simple (and optimistic) by rounding the total up to a cool 1,000 plays. How many of those plays can lead to touches for Max Bredeson? Start to do some of the math:
- Justin Jefferson = 150-175 Targets
- Jordan Addison = 125 Targets
- Jauan Jennings = 75-100 Targets
- T.J. Hockenson = 75-100 Targets
- Aaron Jones = 150 Carries
- Jordan Mason = 150 Carries
Rounding down on all of those numbers means that 725 plays have been accounted for in the ultra basic analysis above. What’s missing are the targets being sent to Jones and Mason. Neither have Josh Oliver or the other tight ends been factored into the mix. What about Demond Claiborne? Does Tai Felton get a workload?
The point, folks, is to suggest that 1,000 plays sounds like a lot but it’s really not. In Jefferson alone, the Vikings could reasonably see somewhere around 15% of the overall plays funnelled to a single person, lessening how involved the other weapons can be.
The grand takeaway: Max Bredeson does not need to demand huge touches to have a major impact on the game. That’s a sneaky detail but one that’s well worth remembering. Being somebody who only helps with the ball in his hands would be the kiss of death. Alternatively, helping without once putting his hands on the pigskin is precisely what’s needed.
Last year, Bredeson earned a 76.2 grade on PFF (they list him as a tight end). Part of what made him so formidable was his 85.2 run blocking grade, an assessment that insists he did tremendously in this facet of football. So, too, did his pass blocking impress, which came in at 78.1. Proving capable of offering a similar ability as a pro will mean he has a long career.
As it relates to versatility, Bredeson had 188 snaps inline, 56 in the slot, 52 in the backfield, and 14 out wide.
Max Bredeson, 23, is listed as being 6’2″ and 250 pounds. He’s a thumper.
