The Minnesota Vikings have moved forward with their preparations for minicamp as media outlets continue to decipher each NFL team’s 2025 NFL Draft.
Minnesota started with just four picks but left the draft with five selections. The Vikings picked three offensive and two defensive players. This was tied for the fewest draft picks the team has made in franchise history.
Their selections do not appear to move the needle up for hope this season. It has dropped them in some NFL power rankings.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell.
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr shared his latest NFL power rankings. The Vikings were originally ranked sixth in his last one. This time around, Orr had the Vikings completely drop out of the top 10 and land at 11th.
Orr attributed it to people tempering their expectations of the Vikings with a new starting quarterback in J.J. McCarthy.
“I suppose much will be made of the Vikings “dropping” in my power rankings from the post-free agency version I wrote a few weeks back. But, in reality, I did not drop them nearly enough after the team pivoted to a redshirt freshman quarterback. I think J.J. McCarthy will be great and, yes, I know we just watched Jayden Daniels take the Commanders to the NFC title game. But we need to be reasonable about expectations. Still, beefing up the offensive interior and adding to the embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position with the 4.3-speed Tai Felton is unnerving for opponents.”
Minnesota selected Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson with their first-round pick to help bring in a new starting left guard, a position he was familiar with when he was a Buckeye. Felton might add a new number-three receiver behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
There have been concerns regarding the Vikings not taking a player in the secondary, as that was seen as a position of need. Starting safety Harrison Smith could be playing his final season in the NFL, and the depth at cornerback is questionable with Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah behind Byron Murphy Jr.
Doubters will be around when it comes to the Vikings because of the uncertainty of how McCarthy will play, but there’s no denying that the talent around them is enough to compete in the playoffs.
