Experts are sharing their final mock drafts since the 2026 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday. That means the Minnesota Vikings will get linked to a prospect that they feel is likely to be the No. 18 overall pick.
At the moment, some Vikings fans are hoping for prospects like Ohio State safety Caleb Downs or Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq, among others, to be wearing purple and gold in 2026. But neither of them has been the most popular draft prospect linked to Minnesota this offseason.
The most popular player linked to the Vikings in this year's draft pool has been Oregon Ducks safety Dillon Thieneman, and it hasn't even been close. In fact, any mock showing any other name seems unusual at this point.
Recent 2026 NFL mock draft has the Minnesota Vikings passing on two fan-favorite prospects
Recently, FanSided's Jason La Canfora shared his first-round insiders mock for the 2026 NFL Draft. In that piece, there are some trades, but Minnesota isn't among the franchises wheeling and dealing their picks.
At No. 18 overall, he does have the Vikings taking Thieneman, and also offers the following nugget about that pick.
"Everyone is mocking this for a reason. It’s a perfect fit to replace Harrison Smith. Just not sure he’s going to be there."
This could upset some Minnesota fans since Downs doesn't come off the board until No. 20 with the Dallas Cowboys, and Sadiq goes one pick after the Vikings at No. 19 to the Carolina Panthers. Those hoping for Minnesota to land one of those two prospects will be heartbroken if this is the case.
Thieneman seems like a solid but somewhat safe pick for the Vikings, considering the lack of depth in the defensive secondary and that the future of safety Harrison Smith is still up in the air since he could still retire before the start of the 2026 NFL season.
With an interim general manager at the helm for Minnesota during this year's NFL Draft, playing it safe makes a lot of sense.
While adding to the defense might not be the most thrilling decision the Vikings could make, it fills a big need and helps the team to prepare for the future. Not only that, but the defense kept the purple and gold in a lot of games last season, and keeping them a strong unit would be wise as the offense attempts to find an identity.
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