While players would never publicly admit it, there had to be plenty of nervousness among a handful of current Minnesota Vikings when the 2026 NFL Draft commenced last week. This nervousness has to do with job security and whether said player will be facing new or more competition for their spot on the 53-man roster.
While some Vikings have to be upset with how the draft shook out and what that means for their continuation in Minnesota, there are others who have to have let out a big sigh of relief.
Who are three members of the Vikings who have to be thrilled with how the draft shook out last week?
3 Minnesota Vikings who emerged as winners after the 2026 NFL Draft
Tai Felton - WR
Tai Felton has to feel relieved after the 2026 NFL Draft commenced. There were rumors and rumblings that Minnesota could address the wide receiver position as early as their first pick, but that didn't happen.
The Vikings recently met with free-agent wide receiver Juaun Jennings, and signing him would likely eliminate Felton from having any chance at WR3, but if they were to draft a receiver, his career in Minnesota would've been over.
Like him or hate him, Felton was a big-time reach by former Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was projected as a mid to late Day 3 pick, and Minnesota traded down a few times and ended up taking him with the last pick of the third round.
Felton rewarded them with that risk by looking so far from contributing in camp that the team felt they had to go out and waste a fourth-round pick to get a local hero who was washed in Adam Thielen.
With the lack of a draft pick at the position, Felton's spot on the depth chart is likely safe for at least one more year. So now he can still call himself an NFL player for one more season.
Bo Richter - EDGE
Edge rusher was looked at as a sneaky need for the Vikings in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Jonathan Greenard situation was in flux, and if the team had used an early pick on the position, it would've made sense.
They kind of did that with the selection of Jake Golday, and he might end up playing a lot of edge in year one, but his future will likely have him spending more time as an inside linebacker.
When it was announced later on Day 2 of the draft that Greenard was dealt, the team still didn't draft an edge rusher, and that was good news for Richter.
Unless the team adds an edge in free agency, Richter will at worst be the fourth pass rusher in the Vikings' rotation. That means a few snaps a game, and that's kind of what he's accustomed to.
Richter is fine in that role, as he has a quick get-off and can close in on the quarterback in a hurry. However, if Minnesota had taken an edge prospect at any point after trading Greenard, Richter's days in purple would've been numbered.
It wouldn't have been surprising to see him as a late-August cut when the roster was finalized.
Gavin Bartholemew - TE
The Vikings were a team that was kind of expected to draft a tight end at some point in the 2026 NFL Draft. It was reported that they would've taken Kenyon Sadiq had he been on the board with the 18th overall pick.
That didn't happen, but they were also rumored to be very enamoured with Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers. That didn't come to fruition either, but tight end was still a strong option for Minnesota on Day 3.
They ultimately passed on the position in favor of cornerback, fullback, running back, and center, and that had to be a huge relief for Bartholomew.
He was a guy that Adofo-Mensah took in the sixth round a year ago, and it was revealed he had chronic back issues. He spent the majority of his rookie season on injured reserve and has been surpassed on the depth chart by Ben Yuorsek, who wasn't even selected that year.
With the Vikings not taking a tight end this year, that improves Bartholemew's chances of making the final roster. He's by no means a lock, but if the team had used a draft pick on the position, he would assuredly be looking for a new home.
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