Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft & Team Needs

After a surprising 14-win campaign in 2024, the Minnesota Vikings enter the 2025 NFL Draft with a reshaped roster and a new quarterback set to lead the way. With several key departures on defense and questions surrounding their offensive line, Minnesota will need to make the most of its limited draft capital to remain a contender in the NFC.

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings stunned the league in 2024, finishing with an impressive 14-3 record behind a resurgent season from Sam Darnold in what turned out to be his only year as the team’s starting quarterback. Despite their regular-season dominance, the Vikings’ playoff run was short-lived, as they were eliminated in the Wild Card Round by the Los Angeles Rams.

Offensively, Minnesota ranked ninth in scoring at 25.4 points per game and finished 12th in total yardage (346.9 per game). The passing attack thrived thanks to a trio of dynamic weapons in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and tight end T.J. Hockenson, propelling the Vikings to the sixth-most passing yards per game (237.8). The run game, however, lagged behind slightly, sitting near league average with 109.1 rushing yards per contest.

On defense, the Vikings excelled at keeping teams off the scoreboard, allowing just 19.5 points per game—the fifth-lowest mark in the NFL. They were middle-of-the-pack in total yards allowed (335.4 per game), but their pass defense struggled, giving up the fifth-most yards through the air (242.0 per game). Still, they offset those issues with an opportunistic secondary that led the league in interceptions (24) and tied for the most takeaways (33) alongside the Pittsburgh Steelers. The run defense was a clear strength, allowing just 93.4 rushing yards per game, the second-fewest in the NFL.

With J.J. McCarthy set to take over under center in 2025, Minnesota enters a new chapter with a reshaped identity and plenty of promise.

Starting Offense:

QB J.J. McCarthy

RB Aaron Jones

WR Justin Jefferson

WR Jordan Addison

TE T.J. Hockenson

Minnesota featured one of the most dangerous collections of skill-position talent in the NFL, and it translated to strong fantasy production across the board. Jefferson bounced back in a big way after an injury-plagued 2023 campaign, reclaiming his elite status with a WR2 finish in PPR formats, trailing only Ja’Marr Chase. Addison continued to establish himself as a rising star, finishing as the WR21 despite a preseason WR43 consensus ranking. Entering his third NFL season, expect him to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. Despite missing the first eight games of the season, T.J. Hockenson remained a reliable option, closing the season at the TE17 in PPR points per game.

JUSTIN JEFFERSON 97-YARD TD ARE YOU KIDDING ME ?! 🤯

UNREAL THROW 😳

(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/HwfQuQnPbB
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 15, 2024

Sam Darnold was one of fantasy’s most pleasant surprises. Undrafted in shallow leagues, the journeyman found his way into the top 10 at the quarterback position (QB9). He produced the fifth-most passing yards (4,319) and passing touchdowns (35), reviving his career in the process. It will be interesting to see if he can keep it going in Seattle but his 2024 results bode well for McCarthy who has yet to take a snap in the NFL.

On the ground, veteran Aaron Jones slightly exceeded expectations, finishing as the RB14. However, after bringing in former San Francisco 49ers RB Jordan Mason and retaining third-year pro Ty Chandler, we could be looking at more of a committee approach in 2025.

With J.J. McCarthy now in line to take over the offense, the fantasy outlook in Minnesota is filled with intrigue. The talent at the skill positions is undeniable, and if the rookie quarterback can settle in quickly, the Vikings could again support multiple top-tier fantasy producers in 2025.

With the 2025 NFL Draft less than a week away, the Vikings will look to improve their offensive line and address a secondary that lost Cam Bynum, Stephon Gilmore, and Shaq Griffin. And although Minnesota was stout against opposing run games, they did struggle to generate pressure up the middle so adding a dominant defensive lineman could be a priority.

Minnesota Vikings 2025 NFL Draft Picks

Round 1: 24th

Round 3: 97th

Round 5: 139th

Round 6: 187th

In my latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft, the Vikings elected to address a secondary that led the league in interceptions but yielded the fifth-most passing yards per game. For that reason, I’d like to see them pick South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori.

The Vikes lost Cam Bynum to the Colts and Harrison Smith is well past his prime. If Emmanwori is still on the board, his ball-hawking instincts, size, and speed make him the ideal fit in Minnesota.

Nick Emmanwori running a 4.38 at 6'3" | 220 LBS is absurd

pic.twitter.com/SCiBaDEunb
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 28, 2025

With no second-round pick, Minnesota will have to wait until the tail-end of the third round to grab their next player unless they execute a trade. With so few picks, I expect them to stay put and continue to add playmakers to that secondary. Kansas CB Cobee Bryant would be a great addition. Bryant plays with a competitive edge in coverage, consistently staying tight to receivers and contesting throws with physicality. His instincts in zone schemes will appeal to the defensive-minded Brian Flores.

Later in the draft, I wouldn't be shocked if the Vikings take a big swing on a running back given the depth at the position in this year's draft class. However, adding a few big guys in the trenches on both sides of the ball may be a safer game plan.