With just over a week to go before the 2025 NFL Draft, Minnesota Vikings fans are wondering just what the strategy will be.
Entering the draft with limited capital this year, the Vikings could go a variety of routes. Some fans might be hoping for a trade or two in order to recoup some picks, but the bottom line has to be finding players who will help quarterback J.J. McCarthy succeed in his first year as a starter.
No matter where the Vikings go in terms of a draft strategy, McCarthy's success and well-being is atop the priority list. It has to be.
Perfect 2025 NFL Draft targets for the Minnesota Vikings in order to get the most out of J.J. McCarthy
Grey Zabel - OL (North Dakota State)
There is still some debate over where Grey Zabel will end up playing, position-wise, but his draft stock has continued rising over the past couple of months. He's played four out of five positions up front which gives the Vikings major flexibility in a group that's needed help for various reasons in recent seasons.
Zabel is an explosive athlete off the line of scrimmage which is a big reason why he's been reliable at both guard and tackle. Zabel may be an ambitious pick in the first round, but if Minnesota finds itself with a second-rounder, he's an ideal target on Day 2.
Colston Loveland - TE (Michigan)
Would this be the pick everybody wants at No. 24 overall? Probably not. But, Colston Loveland is very clearly a first-round talent and comes into the league as probably the best blocker out of the top-five tight ends in his class.
Giving McCarthy a second weapon at the tight end position while adding a capable blocker wouldn't be the worst pick in the world. In fact, you could argue that the Vikings would be taking the best player on their board at this point.
Tyler Booker - OG (Alabama)
The spot where Minnesota is picking, in the first round, is where it can get very ambiguous. The talent level toward the back of the first round and throughout the second is going to feel very similar to many teams.
So, going with Tyler Booker in the first could feel like a reach. But, Minnesota also doesn't have a second-round pick. Maybe there's a scenario where the Vikings trade back and are able to pick up Booker, who is viewed by many as the best pure guard in this draft.
Dillon Gabriel - QB (Oregon)
This might seem like a strange pick, but should the Vikings be able to grab a quarterback like Dillon Gabriel on Day 3, it would make some sense. Gabriel is coming off a season where he finished third in Heisman voting and played for one of the better teams in the nation.
Gabriel is more of a project, but coming off a season like he had and playing as competitively as he did, you'd have to believe that spirit and mentality would translate into helping motivate and push McCarthy in Year 2.
This isn't to say Gabriel would be a threat to McCarthy. No, that's not the idea here. But, having another young, accomplished quarterback in the room would only fuel the morale and potentially allow McCarthy to play at an even higher level.
But, Gabriel could become a valuable asset and backup for McCarthy. Not to mention, his value as a trade asset down the line might become of use to Minnesota.