2025 Vikings Mock Draft: Addressing needs exposed in Week 7 loss to Lions

This past Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings saw their record fall to 5-1 following a heartbreaking 31-29 loss to the Detroit Lions.

In a way, this was a good thing going forward. But if the Vikings plan on competing for years to come, they need to address certain areas the Lions exploited.

Can Minnesota find a way to land Dexter Lawrence or Jefferey Simmons by this season's trade deadline? Don’t count on it, and with one of the worst upcoming interior defensive line free-agent classes for 2025, the Vikings will likely be forced to address their biggest need in the 2025 NFL Draft.

2025 Minnesota Vikings NFL Mock Draft: Fixing needs exposed in loss to Detroit Lions

First-Round Pick (29th Overall)

Derrick Harmon - DL (Oregon)

Derrick Harmon has quickly turned himself into a legitimate first-round prospect since his transfer to Oregon this year. Following three up-and-down seasons at Michigan State, Harmon has cemented himself as the leader of the top-ranked Ducks defensive line.

Harmon would immediately be an upgrade over current Vikings' starting defensive linemen Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery. The Oregon defender has three sacks in seven games this season, and he leads the country in quarterback pressures and hurries, according to PFF. On top of that, he is currently PFF's highest-graded defensive tackle in the country.

Harmon has all the makings of a Pro Bowl-caliber interior defensive lineman, and if Brian Flores stays in Minnesota, the young defender would be one of the favorites for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2025 should he land with the Vikings.

Third-Round Pick (97th Overall - Compensatory Selection)

Kyle Monangai - RB (Rutgers)

If Minnesota's last two games have proved anything, it's that running back Ty Chandler cannot be trusted. The Vikings need a reliable back that can relieve Aaron Jones to the point where he is not getting 70 percent of the snaps on offense.

Kyle Monangai would be a great “Robin” to Jones’s “Batman” if the veteran running back returns to Minnesota in 2025. Monangai is a triple threat whenever he's on the field. The current Scarlet Knight can run, catch, and block at a high level.

Teams like the Vikings that are probably going to covet Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty in the 2025 draft should also keep their eye on Monangai. The Rutgers back and Jeanty have very similar styles of play and aren’t afraid to do the dirty work to help their teams win.

Fifth-Round Pick No. 1 (140th Overall)

Jalen Catalon - S (UNLV)

Eventually, Minnesota will need to address replacing safety Harrison Smith. If this past offseason was any indication, the end is near for the future Hall of Famer. Next season is probably going to be Smith’s swan song, meaning the 2025 NFL Draft is a perfect time for the Vikings to find a safety and have him develop behind Smith.

Insert UNLV safety Jalen Catalon, a former four-star prospect who spent the first two years of his college career at the University of Arkansas before transferring to Texas, where he struggled to really make an impact. In 2024, Catalon made the move to Las Vegas and he's caught the eyes of NFL scouts once again.

Like Smith, Catalon loves attacking downhill and causing chaos at the line of scrimmage. What separates him from some of the other safeties in the 2025 draft pool is that he's an exceptional run defender.

The thought of Catalon learning from Smith in 2025 before taking the reigns in 2026 is exciting to think about.

Fifth-Round Pick No. 2 (166th Overall)

Sebastian Castro - DB (Iowa)

If Minnesota wants to find a high-impact nickel corner in the back half of the fifth round, then Iowa’s Sebastian Castro could be their guy.

Castro has spent a large majority of his college career playing in the slot of Kirk Ferentz's defense, and he has thrived.

One could argue he is the best nickel corner in college football this season, but the only problem is that he is a massive liability if you put him on the outside. NFL teams would be wise to keep Castro where he is most comfortable.

The best way to view Castro is like a dollar store version of Lions safety Brian Branch if he only played in the slot. Even with his restrictions on the outside, Castro would be a valuable asset to any NFL defense, including the one run by Flores in Minnesota.

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