7 Combine Questions That Will Shape the Vikings' NFL Draft Board

With the NFL Scouting Combine underway, all eyes are on what the Minnesota Vikings will do at the quarterback position — but that's only one area of focus for the purple and gold in Indianapolis. Here are seven questions to keep in mind this week and moving forward.

1. Will QB rumors narrow Minnesota's options?

Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) celebrates after a victory over the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Indianapolis has a chance to do fans a big favor and narrow down the number of quarterbacks the Vikings are considering as a veteran to take over or compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting job in 2026.

Insiders may determine Minnesota isn't going to trade draft capital for a quarterback. If that happens, Mac Jones would be eliminated as a possibility. It's also possible that insiders make a strong Minnesota-Jones connection, setting the stage for a trade involving draft picks.

Aaron Rodgers' name could get eliminated if there's solid information connecting him to retirement or another season with the Steelers. We could also learn more about Kyler Murray and Geno Smith, who could be released by the Cardinals and Raiders, respectively.

Maybe we'll get word on Kirk Cousins' future. He's going to be released on March 13. Is he in Minnesota's plans for 2026? What about Derek Carr? Is Malik Willis going to be too expensive as a free agent?

2. Why is Dillon Thienemann so heavily connected to the Vikings?

The Oregon safety is a common pick in the mock drafts, but why? Is he the best safety in the draft? No, that honor belongs to Ohio State's Caleb Downs. Is he going to be the best safety available when the Vikings pick? Possibly.

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren of Toledo is rated above Thienemann on Daniel Jeremiah's big board, and the same goes for Mel Kiper Jr.'s big board. If Downs and McNeil-Warren are gone, would the Vikings take the third-best safety in the first round?

Either way, he's a name to watch closely this week at the Combine.

3. Will a premier player slide to the Vikings at No. 18?

It seems like a long shot that an elite talent like Downs or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love will fall to the Vikings at No. 18, but you never truly know how the league is going to evaluate safeties and running backs.

Another player who might be there at 18 is Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. He's believed to be the best tight end in the draft, and with T.J. Hockenson's future in doubt, he'd be an intriguing selection if he's available to Minnesota.

All of them might be unlikely for the Vikings, but because there's a chance, there's plenty of reason for Minnesota fans to monitor their performances in Indy.

4. Which defensive tackles will catch Minnesota's eye?

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (98) walks the field Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, during the Big Ten football championship against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After signing Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in free agency last season, you'd think the Vikings have things settled on the interior of the D-line, but neither acquisition lived up to expectations. Hargrave is an obvious buyout candidate, and with Jalen Redmond as the only other reliable defensive tackle on the roster, Minnesota may be looking for help early in the draft.

Who are the top D-tackles? According to Jeremiah, the top defensive tackle is Texas Tech's Lee Hunter, who comes in at No. 27 overall on Jeremiah's big board. Meanwhile, Peter Woods of Clemson could fall to 18 after being projected as a top-10 pick during the college football preseason.

Other names to watch at the Combine are Ohio State's Kayden McDonald, Florida's Caleb Banks, and Georgia's Christian Miller. If the Vikings don't go D-tackle in the first round, it's certainly going to be an option in the second round.

5. Which cornerbacks have a chance to make an immediate impact?

This is a major need for the Vikings since they don't have anyone all that trustworthy behind Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers. They need cornerback help, and the cheapest way to get it is to find it in the draft.

The top cornerbacks are Mansoor Delane of LSU, Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood of Tennessee, Avieon Terrell of Clemson, Brandon Cisse of South Carolina, Keionte Scott of Miami, and D'Angelo Ponds of Indiana.

Of those, Delane, McCoy, Hood, Terrell, and Scott are included in Jeremiah's top-50 draft prospects. It's safe to say that Minnesota is a candidate to pick a cornerback in the first or second round.

6. Can the Vikings find their future center in Indy?

Dec 31, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Logan Jones (65) reacts after beating the Vanderbilt Commodores in the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

With Ryan Kelly considering retirement after three concussions last season, it's highly likely that the Vikings will be targeting a center in free agency and/or the draft. If they don't, it would indicate that they're comfortable moving forward at center with Blake Brandel or Michael Jurgens.

In the draft, there doesn't appear to be a center worthy of a first-round pick, but there are guys to watch in Indy for Days 2 and 3 of the draft. The top names, per the experts, include:

Connor Lew, Auburn
Jake Slaughter, Florida
Matt Gulbin, Michigan State
Logan Jones, Iowa
Brian Parker II, Duke
Pat Coogan, Indiana
Sam Hecht, Kansas State
James Brockermeyer, Miami

7. How tight-lipped with Kevin O'Connell be?

O'Connell is one of a handful of head coaches not scheduled to speak to the media in a formal press conference at the Indianapolis Convention Center. Instead, he's due to speak to Vikings beat reporters on Tuesday, and then join KFAN-FM 100.3 for a radio interview that will be broadcast on Wednesday.

O'Connell isn't known for tipping too much information, but this will mark the first time he's talked to reporters since the season-ending press conference, in which he stated a desire to bring in a veteran to compete with McCarthy.

It'll also be his first time talking to reporters since general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired.

Will he reveal that he has full say on the quarterback decision? Who has final say on draft picks? His conversations with local reporters and radio hosts could be quite revealing... or reveal nothing at all.