If Vikings Prefer College Production on Day 2, These Players Make Sense

Hitting on first-round picks in the NFL draft is obviously important, but it's only part of the equation. The Vikings have actually had a pretty strong success rate in the first round this decade. They hit on Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw, Jordan Addison, and arguably Dallas Turner and Donovan Jackson (time will tell). Jeff Gladney and Lewis Cine were misses and J.J. McCarthy is trending that way as well, but 5/8 with one all-time superstar is quite good.

The Vikings' primary issue, both in the final two years under Rick Spielman and all four years of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, has been nailing their Day 2 picks. They didn't get much value out of Ezra Cleveland, Cameron Dantzler, Kellen Mond, Chazz Surratt, Wyatt Davis, and Patrick Jones II in the 2020-21 drafts. Adofo-Mensah's Day 2 picks were Andrew Booth Jr., Ed Ingram, Brian Asamoah, Mekhi Blackmon, and Tai Felton (and several picks he traded away over the last few years).

Those second and third-round picks are key for roster building (as is finding value on Day 3). This year, the Vikings have a second-round pick (No. 49) and two third-rounders (Nos. 82 and 97). Those are going to be important selections for the future of the franchise.

ESPN's Matt Miller had an interesting note in a story this week. "The Vikings must hit at a higher rate on Day 2 picks, and with that in mind I've heard the team will target players with higher college production over potential or traits," he wrote.

Weighing college production against things like raw athleticism and projected upside is a huge part of the NFL draft evaluation process. Every team is a little different in how they view that dynamic. If Miller's reporting is right and the Vikings plan on leaning more towards past production on Day 2 this year, here are eight picks who could make a lot of sense.

Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

Rodriguez was a unanimous All-American and Heisman finalist after a 2025 season in which he racked up 128 tackles, 11 TFL, 4 interceptions, and 7 forced fumbles. He was also highly productive one year earlier (127 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 5 sacks). Rodriguez is a proven playmaker with outstanding instincts and football IQ, but he's a bit undersized for an NFL linebacker. If he's still on the board at pick 49, he could be tempting for Brian Flores and the Vikings.

Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

Another player who was a key piece of Texas Tech's incredible defense was huge defensive tackle Lee Hunter. The UCF transfer piled up 10.5 tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble for the Red Raiders, giving him 31 TFL over his final three college seasons. Hunter's Relative Athletic Score isn't pretty, but the stat sheet and his tape show a player who shined as a run defender in college.

D'Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana

How much does size matter? Ponds was sensational for Indiana last season with 11 passes defended, 2 INTs, a forced fumble, and 4 TFL. His PFF grade was just shy of 90, as he earned elite marks both in pass coverage and run defense. His tape is extremely fun. If Ponds were 6'1", he might be the first cornerback off the board in this draft. But he's not. He's 5'8" and a half and 182 pounds, which will likely drop him to the second round. Will the Vikings take a chance on Ponds' talent making up for his lack of size?

A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU

Haulcy put up numbers everywhere he played in college. He had 87 tackles, two picks, and two forced fumbles as a freshman at New Mexico. He had five interceptions as a junior at Houston. Last year, while at LSU, he put up 88 tackles and three more picks. Haulcy is just under 6 feet tall and isn't an elite testing athlete, but he's a proven disruptor in the secondary. If the Vikings don't take a safety in the first round, he could be their guy in round two.

Logan Jones, C, Iowa

There are a handful of centers the Vikings could target in the third round. Only one of them won the Rimington Trophy last year as the best center in college football. Jones earned a 90.7 PFF pass-blocking grade and was a consensus All-American. He's undersized and will turn 25 as a rookie, but it's hard to argue with his Iowa tape.

Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt

The only consensus All-American at tight end last season wasn't Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq, who is widely expected to go in the first round. It was Stowers, who caught 62 passes for 769 yards and 4 touchdowns. A former quarterback, Stowers is part tight end and part wide receiver at nearly 6'4" and 240 pounds. He may be a tweener, but he's a heck of a football player who also happened to record a 45-inch vertical at the combine.

Skyler Bell, WR, UConn

No wide receiver in the country was more productive last season than Bell, who caught 101 passes (third in FBS) for 1,278 yards (second) and 13 touchdowns (second). He's 6 feet tall and 192 pounds, which is on the smaller side at receiver. He'll be 24 in July. And yet, the numbers and tape tell the story of a masterful route runner with good hands and plenty of YAC juice.

Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska

Johnson was perhaps the most prolific running back in the nation in 2025. He handled 251 carries for 1,451 yards and 12 touchdowns. He caught 46 passes for 370 yards and three more scores. His 151.7 yards from scrimmage per game led all of FBS. Johnson, a Minneapolis native, is an entirely unremarkable athlete at the running back position. As with everyone else on this list, though, the proof of his abilities lies in the numbers and the film. He'd be a fun addition to the Vikings' backfield in the third round.