When it comes to the NFL Draft, we’re all just guessing and nobody really knows anything.
That rule especially applies around pick No. 20 overall and beyond, which is about where we can expect the Minnesota Vikings to fall after the 2025 season.
The Vikings held the No. 24 overall selection in April’s draft, and the projections were all over the map. Sure, offensive line was on the wish list, but most draft experts had the Vikings adding on defense, from defensive tackle, to cornerback, to probably the most prominent position group: Safety.
With Camryn Bynum moving on in free agency, and Harrison Smith nearing the end of an all-time career with the Vikings, a potential Day 1 starter at safety — like Georgia’s Malaki Starks — became the most popular pick for Minnesota entering Day 1 of the draft.
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah instead selected the missing piece for his offensive line in Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson. Was it the sexiest pick for the casual Vikings fan? Probably not, but no one in Minnesota is complaining about a projected rookie starter at left guard who will not only help protect QB J.J. McCarthy but also play a pivotal role in the Vikings’ tuned-up rushing attack this season.
As for the 2026 draft, one prominent draft analyst has the Vikings going defense on Day 1 — but just not what fans would expect.
ESPN analyst Field Yates has the Minnesota Vikings adding another EDGE rusher in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
In his first mock of the year, Field Yates of ESPN offered a surprising take for the Vikings.
First of all, fans will have to ignore the No. 18 overall draft slot (that’s based purely on ESPN’s FPI rankings). More surprising is Yates projecting Northwestern pass rusher Anto Saka to Minnesota in the first round.
“Saka is one of those players who immediately widens your eyes when you watch his tape. His incredible explosiveness puts pass protectors on their heels. Saka's numbers are just OK through two seasons (nine sacks over 22 games), but he draws a lot of attention from opponents and is still a bit raw as a prospect. The starter kit of desirable traits is there.
“Is edge rush a gigantic need for the Vikings? No. Is there such a thing as too much depth at that position? Also no. Saka could fit in nicely with Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner.”
To Yates’ credit, he preemptively added a rebuttal to the most popular question that he'll get from every Vikings fan who sees this: Another EDGE rusher, Field?
While Van Ginkel was sidelined over the final couple weeks of training camp with a mysterious injury, he’s a locked-in starter who the Vikings recently extended through the 2026 season. Greenard’s not going anywhere as an All-Pro talent signed through 2027, and the only real concern with Turner right now is how many reps the Vikings can find for him on defense.
Oh, and we haven’t mentioned Gabriel Murphy, a training camp star for the second straight summer who feels like a lock for Minnesota’s EDGE rotation in 2025.
Yates is one of the best in the business, and smart football teams draft the best player available over need. But based on the current state of Minnesota’s roster at groups such as wide receiver, cornerback, safety and linebacker, it would be a major surprise to see the Vikings add to their surplus at EDGE over more pressing projected problem areas in 2026.