Over the last two years, Minnesota Vikings fans have been hoping to build a solid draft class, so the future looks promising. That has not been the case so far.
The top picks in the 2024 class, J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner, are starting to look better, as Turner could be a great player, but the verdict is still out on McCarthy after completing a disappointing first season as the starting quarterback.
As for the latest class in 2025, well, it hasn't been as great, but expectations were kind of low with only five picks. ESPN's Aaron Schatz recently broke down each draft class, and the Vikings did not fare well, ranking 30th.
"Much like the Colts, almost all the rookie value for the Vikings came from a single first-round pick. Minnesota took guard Donovan Jackson with the No. 24 selection, and he was a quality starter for most of the season. Jackson finished with a 92.6% pass block win rate (average for guards) and a 76.9% run block win rate (well above average).
And then ... that's about it. Undrafted free agent quarterback Max Brosmer was terrible when forced into action (14.0 QBR), and any other rookies had very minor impacts. This is Minnesota's second straight year at or near the bottom of this list."
Minnesota Vikings have yet another dud of an NFL Draft class
Jackson looks like he is going to be a starter on the offensive line for a long time in Minnesota. Whether he will become an All-Pro is a whole other question, but he appears to be a long-term solution at left guard.
Third-round pick Tai Felton never really got a chance to play, as he caught only three passes for 25 yards, so that remains a mystery. Depending on what happens with Jalen Nailor in free agency, Felton might see more playing time as the number three receiver behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Brosmer was mentioned as well, but it is safe to assume that he was not ready to be a starter or backup despite going 1-1 in the lineup. Outside of that, it was a fairly quiet class for the Vikings... again.
Ultimately, that falls to Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who has not had a strong recent track record in free agency and the draft. Adofo-Mensah took some big risks with free agents like Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Isaiah Rodgers, and he got mixed results.
The draft classes have arguably been worse, as the Vikings have not found enough impact players who can grow within the organization outside of McCarthy, Turner, and Jackson, but McCarthy is even a stretch at this point in his career.
More needs to be done with the Vikings in the draft if they have any hope of building for the future and capturing that Super Bowl title.