With the NFL draft just one day away, Minnesota Vikings fans are searching the internet for clues, and thanks to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, one emerged on Tuesday: he thinks Minnesota will draft a defensive player.
Minnesota’s Round 1 trail leads to defense.
That’s not exactly revolutionary news, but it’s better than nothing, especially as some momentum has suggested that Minnesota could pick Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq.
Safety and DT Stand Out as Minnesota’s Top Paths
The draft verdict is a day from fruition.
Schefter: Vikings Will Probably Go Defense in Round 1
Schefter was pretty straightforward, speaking on his podcast this week. He said about the Vikings, “They have not drafted very many frontline defensive players in recent years, and I think this is where they start to reverse that trend.”
And despite recent mock-draft enthusiasm for the aforementioned Sadiq, Schefter’s comments check out: oddsmakers expect Minnesota to walk away from Round 1 with a safety or defensive lineman.
The Defensive Backs
Of course, Schefter’s suggestion points in three directions, with a member of the secondary as the frontrunner per sportsbooks. At safety, the Vikings’ options are these two men:
- Dillon Thieneman (Oregon)
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo)
All things considered, Thieneman has been the mock-draft favorite for eight weeks. Only recently has the NFL community begun deviating from Thieneman to Minnesota as a formality.
CBS Sports‘ Carter Bohns mock-drafted Thieneman to Minnesota last weekend and explained, “Even if Harrison Smith elects to wait another year to enter his retirement, the Vikings will need a replacement at safety in the near future.”
“Grabbing Dillon Thieneman in the first round allows them to start a prized rookie if needed, and it might just bring some finality to the game of limbo they are playing with Smith after releasing him with a post-June 1 designation. Thieneman is versatile enough to play at any safety position and thus would probably be able to carve out meaningful and valuable early-career playing time in the event Smith comes back for another season.”
At cornerback, there are more options:
- Jermod McCoy (Tennessee)
- Colton Hood (Tennessee)
- Avieon Terrell (Clemson)
- Chris Johnson (San Diego State)
- Brandon Cisse (South Carolina)
For Hood, Terrell, Johnson, or Cisse to become the selection, it will probably mean the Vikings traded down an unknown number of spots while stockpiling mid-round picks. Our Janik Eckardt predicted Johnson as Minnesota’s pick last weekend.
The Defensive Linemen
How about the trenches? Those are in play, too. If the Vikings pick a defensive tackle, it feels like a binary choice between two men:
- Peter Woods (Clemson)
- Kayden McDonald (Ohio State)
Woods is a three-technique interior defensive lineman; McDonald is a run-stuffing nose tackle. Fans would not object to either pick, though Woods might take a couple of years to find his full footing.
A to Z Sports‘ Tyler Forness noted on Woods last month, “This isn’t the strongest defensive tackle class, and Woods is arguably the best of the bunch. Going into the season, he was projected to be a top-five pick after a dominant first two seasons for the Clemson Tigers. In 2025, his production dropped significantly, raising a lot of questions about what he will be in the NFL.”
“He is a very talented player who thrives as a 3T in one-on-one situations, while also being capable as a crasher and looper in stunts. Brian Flores will know how to maximize him.”
How about another EDGE rusher? That could happen, too. Jonathan Greenard wants a new contract, and no one is too sure Minnesota can afford it. Andrew Van Ginkel, for now, is on the docket to test free agency in 2027.
The EDGE options at No. 18 for the Vikings might look like this:
- Keldric Faulk (Auburn)
- Akheem Mesidor (Miami)
- T.J. Parker (Clemson)
- Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)
- Zion Young (Missouri)
- Malachi Lawrence (UCF)
Faulk and Mesidor are stick-and-pick options; Parker, Howell, Young, and Lawrence would probably be obtained via trade back.
The ILB Longshots
Finally, for good measure and the least likely outcome, Minnesota could trade back just a bit and land one of these off-ball linebackers:
- C.J. Allen (Georgia)
- Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech)
With Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Ivan Pace Jr. on the roster, an inside linebacker on Thursday night just doesn’t feel like it’s in the cards. That — and ILBs have to project as damn near legendary to go off the board in Round 1.
The Vikings haven’t successfully connected on a full draft class since arguably 2020 or 2021. They’re overdue. The team has nine picks in 2026, up from just five last year.
