Mock draff season is in its final swing since the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off from Green Bay, Wisconsin on Thursday, April 24. The Minnesota Vikings hold the rights to pick No. 24 overall in the first round and many experts debate what the team should do with that selection.
Depending on which prospects are on the board when the Vikings pick, the purple and gold could easily stay put and draft one of the top collegiate prospects to join the team and develop into a contributor.
However, there is also the belief that Minnesota could trade down to acquire more picks if they think the player they want will still be available later. In fact, there is a growing trend of experts expecting the team to trade down toward the end of the first round.
A proposed draft day trade gives the Minnesota Vikings more talent
Recently, Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame published a mock draft that saw every team make a trade. Typically, a trade down isn't met with much excitement since it means waiting longer to find out who is joining the Minnesota Vikings.
In the piece, the Vikings trade down from No. 24 overall. They deal that pick to the Los Angeles Rams and acquire picks 26, 195, 201, and 202. That seems like a lot in exchange for moving down two spots, but it makes sense based on the chart, which values each side's picks at 237 points.
Then, with the No. 26 overall pick, Minnesota selected cornerback Azareye'h Thomas out of Florida State. The six-foot-one, 197-pound defensive back is a physical corner who has great instincts when sticking to a wide receiver.
Since safeties Malaki Starks and Nick Emmanwori were selected earlier in the draft, taking the next best player at that position could have been considered a reach, especially if the Vikings didn't trade down to acquire more picks.
Even Thomas could be considered a minor reach at the end of the first round. However, if the pick works out and Minnesota can do something with the extra picks they acquire, it could still be a big win for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
All the speculation will come to an end when the Minnesota Vikings and the other teams in the league make their selections at the 2025 NFL Draft in less than a week. Unless then, all fans can do is speculate.
