For the past decade, the Minnesota Vikings have absolutely adored fullback C.J. Ham, who went undrafted out of Division II Augustana (SD) back in 2015 but went on to have a 10-year career, all of which was spent wearing the Purple & Gold, earning a pair of Pro Bowl selections for his efforts. Not bad for a guy with just 800 total yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns.
Ham, of course, recently retired, and the Vikings certainly didn't waste much time in finding his replacement, as they used one of their NFC-high nine selections in last week's 2026 NFL Draft on Michigan's Max Bredeson.
Now, while Bredeson was called a tight end when his name was announced in the fifth round at No. 159 overall and is listed as a tight end on several statistical sites, Minnesota fans need not worry.
Sure, the 6-foot-2, 252-pounder lines up on the outside sometimes, but would a tight end who made two catches for 11 yards last year earn Third-Team All-Big Ten honors?
Yeah, that's not a thing.
Michigan expert gives Minnesota Vikings fans plenty to be excited about with FB Max Bredeson
Our good friend Chris Peterson, who handles all things Michigan over at GBMWolverine.com, obviously knows what Bredeson brings to the table, and not only does he believe that the 23-year-old will succeed in Minnesota, he firmly believes he'll be one of the Vikings' best picks from this entire 2026 draft class.
Seriously, the title of his article is literally "Drafting this Michigan football hero will be one of the Vikings' best picks."
Here's a little bit of what Peterson had to say:
"It might sound ridiculous. Fullbacks aren't supposed to be impact players. I know that Minnesota announced Bredeson as a tight end, but he will be blocking much more than acting as a receiver, although he's a better pass-catcher than people realize, which will be another weapon.
Frankly, I don't think it's crazy to think he could have a similar career to that of Moose Johnston, the great Dallas Cowboys fullback, as long as Minnesota is willing to use him.
The Vikings used a fifth-round selection on him, so that tells you they think he can contribute. His blocking ability is off the charts. Few appreciate how good he is, or what a weapon he is, and honestly, he wasn't used enough in the past two seasons."
For those who only know Daryl Johnston as a broadcaster, comparing anyone to Moose is high praise, as he won three Super Bowls with America's Team, earned a pair of Pro Bowl selections, and was a big reason why Emmitt Smith became the league's all-time leading rusher.
So, if Bredeson can come even close to being that kind of player, the Vikings are in good shape. And the numbers are already on his side.
For starters, he had some strong PFF marks for the Wolverines this past season, earning a 78.1 pass-blocking grade and an even better 85.2 run-blocking grade.
And according to Michigan insider Zach Shaw of 247Sports/CBS Sports, the Wolverines were 71 percent more likely to score when Bredeson was on the field over the last three seasons.
So, fear not, Vikings fans. While the loss of Ham hurts, the arrival of Bredeson should quickly ease that pain once he hits the field.
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