Last Year’s Vikings Draft Class Will Get an Opportunity
Last year, Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah entered the draft with only four selections, having traded away all the others. Due to some swaps during the three-day event, he ultimately left with five selected players as well as backup quarterback Sam Howell.
Of those five draftees, only four remain attached to the roster, as sixth-round linebacker Kobe King has already been released. He’s now playing for the Jets. Howell, of course, was traded to Philadelphia last August.
The four draft picks had limited impact in Year 1, but that could change in their sophomore seasons. Though nothing is guaranteed for three of them, all four have a path towards playing meaningful snaps.
Offensive guard Donovan Jackson was the crown jewel of last year’s haul. Ohio State’s national champion didn’t have to compete for the left guard role, he was just handed the starting job. Jackson quickly emerged as a promising player and started 14 games, playing through an arm injury for most of the year. His toughness stood out.
On the field, Jackson was solid. He was not a liability, but it can be debated whether or not a guard that’s not an immediate standout player is actually worth a first-rounder. The good news is he’s healthy now and players in the trenches need time to develop. He’s the unquestioned starting left guard and could be in line for a big season with hopefully more stability at left tackle and center.
Tai Felton, the second pick, who was actually the last pick of the third round, 102, could earn a promotion based on the fact that WR3 Jalen Nailor left for Las Vegas and no successor has been added. In his rookie season, the Maryland wideout starred in special-teams coverage, but had close to no chance to show his offensive skill set in the subpar passing attack.
This year, there’s currently no experienced option behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Unless the club adds a dynamic weapon in the draft or signs a free agent at some point in the next five months, Felton is the next man up. He caught three passes in his rookie season, generating 25 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins joined Brian Flores’ crew in the fifth round. He played a rotational role, logging a total of 250 defensive snaps in 14 games. The Georgia product registered 12 tackles and 1 sack. He’ll turn 23 this summer.
After an unproductive collegiate career, the Vikings bet on his elite physical skill set, but he’d be a player who needs time to develop. After Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen were shown the door without any new arrivals, he has skyrocketed up the DL depth chart. More responsibilities could follow in the upcoming season.
And finally, there’s tight end Gavin Bartholomew, who has yet to see the NFL field. A back injury sidelined him in offseason workouts and training camp, and he had to watch undrafted rookie Ben Yurosek snag the TE3 role behind T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver.
Later in the season, he returned to practice, but the Vikings didn’t activate him off IR. Now back healthy, the TE3 is once again a mystery. Yurosek returns, but the decision-makers clearly drafted Bartholomew for a reason.
All three of Felton, Ingram-Dawkins, and Bartholomew could see some real workload come their way in 2026 and beyond. However, much depends on whether the Vikings add more players at their spots in the draft and free agency.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.