Sinking Vikings could land highest draft pick in more than a decade

The last time the Vikings picked in the top five was after the 3-13 season in 2011.

Nov 30, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; The Minnesota Vikings huddle up during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Four straight losses have dropped the Vikings to 4-8, but what felt like rock bottom in a 26-0 loss to the Seahawks might've only been a large branch on the way down.

But what goes down, must come up (something like that), and the Vikings' free fall is coinciding with a rise in the NFL Draft order.

With five games remaining, it's not out of the realm of possibilities that the Vikings finish on a nine-game losing streak. They're underdogs this week at home against the Commanders, and then they hit the road to play the Cowboys and Giants before wrapping up the season at home against the Lions and Packers.

Entering Monday's game between the Giants and Patriots, the Vikings are slotted to pick 11th in the 2026 draft.

1. Tennessee (1-11)
2. New Orleans (2-10)
3. NY Giants (2-10)
4. Las Vegas (2-10)
5. Cleveland (3-9)
6. Washington (3-9)
7. NY Jets (3-9)
8. Arizona (3-9)
9. Atlanta (4-8) (Rams own the pick)
10. Cincinnati (4-8)
11. Minnesota (4-8)
12. Miami (5-7)
13. Kansas City (6-6)
14. Pittsburgh (6-6)
15. Carolina (7-6)

With the playoffs out of the picture, the best long-term scenario for the Vikings is getting the highest pick possible while seeing some development from J.J. McCarthy to generate some confidence at quarterback ahead of next season.

According to The Athletic's playoff and draft predictor, the Vikings have an 80% chance to land a top-10 pick, and a 15% chance to be picking in the top five.

What will Minnesota's final record be? The Athletic's machine has its highest odds at 6-11 (a 35% chance). There's a 32% chance the Vikings finish 5-12, and an 11% chance they lose out to finish 4-13. On the flip side, a 7-10 record has been given a 17% chance, while the odds of Minnesota finishing 8-9 or 9-8 are 4% and 1%, respectively.

The last time the Vikings had a pick in the top 10 was 2014, when they selected linebacker Anthony Barr ninth overall. The last time they picked in the top five was 2012, when they took offensive tackle Matt Kalil with the No. 4 pick.

Note: J.J. McCarthy was the 10th pick in 2024, but Minnesota traded up to get him.