ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has been covering the NFL Draft for multiple decades, and he's one of the most respected analysts in the history of the event. However, Kiper's recent suggestion for the Minnesota Vikings in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft isn't one that everyone is on board with.
Kiper shared his latest 2026 mock draft on Wednesday, and in the second round, he predicted the Vikings to select former Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. with the 49th overall pick.
FanSided's Wynston Wilcox wasn't a fan of this prediction, and he explained why he believes it's one of the biggest mistakes that Minnesota could make next week if they follow Kiper's suggestion.
"Kiper makes a solid argument for the Minnesota Vikings to think about getting a running back, but truthfully, they need to improve the defense more than they need to add running back depth.
They need to replenish Jonathan Allen and add to their cornerback room.
In his first round mock, Kiper has the Vikings taking Dillon Thieneman, safety from Oregon. I like that pick a lot.
This one, not so much.
Vikings, like the Seahawks, can simply wait to take a running back.
Washington could turn into a solid running back, but it just doesn’t make sense to take that gamble when there are solid cornerback options and defensive tackles available to take at no. 49."
Would it be a mistake for the Minnesota Vikings to select a RB in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft?
Most are in agreement that Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love is really the only running back in this year's draft pool worth selecting in the first round.
However, there are plenty of running back prospects, including Washington, who many believe will come off the board in the second and third rounds of next week's NFL Draft.
Despite Wilcox's disagreement with Kiper, running back could definitely be in play with one of the Vikings' Day 2 picks, especially since they will likely take care of a defensive need with their top selection.
Both Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason are currently scheduled to become free agents in 2027, which would leave Minnesota with a gigantic hole in its backfield next year.
Ideally, the Vikings will draft a running back next week who can take over as a starter in 2027, and that might require them to select one in the second round.
With Brian Flores back running the defense for another season, Minnesota can also afford to wait until the middle of this year's NFL Draft to fill some of its needs on the defensive side of the ball.
Flores' scheme really helps the Vikings hide some of the weaker spots of their defense, so the urgency to add a defensive lineman or cornerback shouldn't exist if there's a running back on the board that they really like.
All that being said, Minnesota shouldn't draft a running back in the second round just to draft one. The Vikings still shouldn't be reaching to fill needs next week, but if there's a running back that they like when it comes time to make their picks on Day 2, there should be no hesitation to select one.
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