The 2026 NFL Draft will be here before we know it.
The Minnesota Vikings find themselves in a unique position as they don't have a general manager in place. They are rolling with longtime executive Rob Brzezinski after firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and it's anyone's guess who the team will select with their first pick.
One thing the interim general manager has said this offseason is that he will take the best player on the board when the Vikings are on the clock at 18th overall in this year's NFL Draft.
A lot of teams say that, but do they actually do it?
There's no way of knowing for sure, as access to a team's draft board is something that has yet to be released. But if we go off of respected draft guru Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 board, we can hone in on some players who truly would be the best available at pick No. 18 for Minnesota.
Let's look at four who fit that billing.
Realistic best available prospects for the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
Jermod McCoy - CB (Tennessee)
Jermod McCoy is an interesting prospect. He had an all-time type of season in 2024, looking like the best cornerback to be eligible for this year's draft.
He tallied 44 tackles, with four interceptions and nine pass breakups. He covered his receiver like syrup, and it got to the point where opposing teams just stopped throwing his way.
He's the total package with a 6-foot frame, 31-inch-plus arms, great speed, and is technically sound. The problem is that he was hurt early in 2025 and missed the entire season with an ACL injury.
So questions obviously linger about his long-term health and if he'll be the same player when he gets back on the field.
McCoy did answer some of those questions with an impressive Pro Day performance where he ran a blazing 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds to go with a 38-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-7-inch broad jump.
By the looks of it, McCoy is back to 100 percent and back to being one of the top prospects in this entire class.
While the workout is impressive, teams are always very wary of taking a player who is coming off a major injury in the draft.
The medical reports that come from the NFL Scouting Combine will show if there's any long-term concern. But even with a clean report, it's possible teams picking in the top 20 will instead go with a "safer" prospect.
If that's the case, then McCoy could fall to the Vikings with the 18th pick. He is the 15th best player in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to Jeremiah's rankings, and would truly be the best player available if he were the choice.
Dillon Thieneman - S (Oregon)
Vikings fans are no doubt sick of seeing Dillon Thieneman's name and are tired of him being mocked to Minnesota. Other than former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza being mocked to the Las Vegas Raiders, Thieneman to the Vikings has to be the most assumed pick of the entire first round.
It still makes a ton of sense, though.
Thieneman can truly do it all.
He has insane range, can enforce at the line of scrimmage, has very good ball skills, and is a freak athlete. Thieneman would be able to do anything Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores would ask of him, and other than needing a little more meat on his bones, it's hard to find a flaw in his evaluation.
Jeremiah was one of the first big analysts to board the Thieneman train, and he has him listed as the 17th best player in this class.
There are some teams picking ahead of the Vikings in the first round who could also use Thieneman, including the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, and Dallas Cowboys. So there's a good chance he'll be selected before Minnesota gets on the clock.
If he is on the board, Thieneman would be the best player available, and he would also fill one of Minnesota's biggest needs in the process.
Omar Cooper Jr. - WR (Indiana)
With a new regime in charge, it's hard to predict what the Vikings will do with their first-round pick.
We assume Brzezinski currently has the ultimate power, but Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell and Flores will probably also have a lot to say about who is picked and when.
While wide receiver isn't a glaring need for the Vikings, it needs to be addressed at some point in this year's NFL Draft. O'Connell loves throwing the ball, so it can't be ruled out as a selection for Minnesota early in this draft.
Doubling down on that with what Brzezinski. said about taking the best player available, and suddenly the signs point to Omar Cooper Jr., who is the 18th overall player on Jeremiah's board.
Cooper is a YAC machine who is extremely dangerous when the ball is in his hands, and he's got good size at 6-feet and 199 pounds.
He isn't the most precise route runner, but he is strong, fast, and can go up and high-point the football. He worked primarily in the slot at Indiana last season, but he has also proven to be dangerous when lining up outside.
Cooper would be an excellent WR3 for Minnesota, and his presence alongside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison would form arguably the most dangerous wide receiver trio in the entire NFL.
It is hard to see the Vikings going with a wide receiver at pick No. 18 with so many other glaring holes on the depth chart.
Despite that, if Minnesota is truly going wth the best player available and the board falls a certain way, it could be Cooper's name who is called when the Vikings are on the clock in the first round later this month.
Monroe Freeling - OT (Georgia)
If wide receiver was a head-scratching position for Minnesota to take with their first pick, then offensive tackle might seem downright insane.
Before we rule it out, though, let's remember there are some concerns about the long-term health of left tackle Christian Darrisaw, and right tackle Brian O'Neill is 30-years-old and yet to be extended.
Let's also remember that Brzezinski said the team would take the best player on the board, and that may very well be offensive tackle Monroe Freeling from Georgia.
Freeling is Jeremiah's 20th-ranked player, but one who often cracks the top 10 when reading various mock drafts across the internet.
Freeling is a massive human being, standing 6-foot-7 and tipping the scales at 315 pounds. He started at left tackle for the Bulldogs last year, but he also has experience on the right side.
Freeling is very athletic for his size, who bends easily, and explodes out of his stance.
He did battle some injuries last year and needs to get stronger, but he has the potential to be a long-time starter at left tackle.
The Vikings really don't need a tackle with the duo of Darrisaw and O'Neill, and with adding Ryan Van Demark in free agency.
That being said, there's a scenario where Freeling could be the best player on the board, and if Brzezinski is being true to his word, then he should be Minnesota's selection with the 18th overall choice.