The Minnesota Vikings entered the 2025 NFL Draft with a league-low four picks, and entering Day 3, that is still the case. A trade with the Houston Texans on Day 2 yielded a move down from No. 97 overall to No. 102, and they took Maryland wide receiver Tai Felton with the final pick of the night.
The Vikings now have two fifth-round picks in quick succession on Day 3, No. 139 and No. 142 overall early in the fifth round.
Hopefully, Minnesota general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah doesn't feel compelled to channel Rick Spielman and trade down repeatedly to inexplicably multiply the team's volume of Day 3 lottery tickets. Trading up into the fourth round is also possible, but that would require tapping into future draft capital.
Having two picks so close together also means the Vikings would end up with two players who are close together on their draft board. As shown by the decision to stay at No. 24 and take guard Donovan Jackson, they are willing to hone in on the guys they want.
Here are three Day 3 draft prospects who look like particularly good fits for the Vikings to close out their 2025 draft haul with.
Ideal prospects for the Minnesota Vikings to target on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft
Zah Frazier - CB (UTSA)
Frazier made our list of cornerbacks who should be on the Vikings' radar after the first round of the draft, so he easily gets a place here entering Day 3.
Frazier took a common-to-this-era scenic route through college, starting at Southern Illinois in 2019, followed by two years at Coffeyville Community College and finally three years at UTSA (with just one year as a starter).
But that one year was pretty darn good. Frazier tied for second in FBS with six interceptions last season, along with nine pass breakups. With only those 10 starts on his college resume, evaluations reflect flaws that would have seemingly been helped by simply having more experience. He will turn 25 in October, which even in this era of college football might turn a lot of teams off.
As Alex Lewis of The Athletic noted, Frazier (6-foot-3, 186 pounds) profiles similarly physically and in playing style to Khyree Jackson, who Minnesota drafted last year and had high hopes for before tragedy struck last summer. It'll come down to how much of a future need the Vikings think they have at cornerback, but the traits-based potential here is hard to ignore.
Thomas Fidone II - TE (Nebraska)
With just two tight ends on the roster right now (T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver), Adofo-Mensah pointed to the Vikings coming out of the draft with a tight end when he was asked about the possibility.
"Roster spot-wise, that's probably an easy place to look and see that the Vikings would want to add something. But, need – I don't love using the word need. You'll see sometimes I want to be positive focused....We want certain types of players on our team.
But when you start that question with T.J. and Josh, and you say the word need, I feel a little bit champagne problem-ish in terms of the phrase of the word need. I think those are two dynamic players at their positions, the ability to give us a lot of great skill sets.
And we're excited to add somebody else in that room, however that comes. Again, the draft is just one of the avenues that we have, but from a number standpoint, that is a position we will address."
Injuries derailed Fidone's first two seasons at Nebraska, and a Cornhuskers' offense that was rather mundane (even with Dylan Raiola under center last season) didn't do him any favors either. But he gets props for his smoothness as a route runner, with athleticism to burn (the sixth-highest Athleticism Score among tight ends and the NFL Combine).
The core trait to develop into a better blocker (effort) is there too, as he ideally would add strength and fill out his 6-foot-5 frame.
Malachi Moore - S (Alabama)
Malachi Moore lacks size (5-foot-11, 196 pounds) and raw athleticism, which are automatic knocks to his draft stock.
But he is versatile ( time at free safety, in the slot, and in the box in college) and productive (raw numbers and PFF grades) with persistent praise for his high football IQ and plenty of big game experience from playing at Alabama.
All of that sounds like a nice fit for Brian Flores' defensive scheme, as the Vikings eye a successor for Harrison Smith.