While the Minnesota Vikings won their final five games to finish the 2025 campaign at 9-8, the year as a whole obviously has to be seen as a disappointment after a 14-3 finish a season ago, not to mention the spending spree GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah engaged in last offseason to improve the roster.
As for this offseason, such spending will be virtually impossible, as Over The Cap currently projects the Vikings to be nearly $49 million over the 2026 cap figure. Contracts can be restructured, and cuts can be made to free up space, of course, but to fill the holes that need filling, Minnesota will likely need to rely mainly on the 2026 NFL Draft.
Now, what's interesting about the draft is that while the Vikings' defense was far and away the best unit the team put on the field in 2025, it's on that side of the ball where Minnesota needs the most help, specifically in the secondary.
And in his first mock draft of the year, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has the Vikings addressing that very need with one of the top defensive backs in the country.
Mel Kiper Jr. has Minnesota Vikings selecting top CB in latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft
With their aforementioned 9-8 finish, the Vikings currently own the 18th overall pick in the opening round of the draft. And with that selection, Kiper likes them to select LSU unanimous All-American cornerback Mansoor Delane.
"Delane would bring top-end ball skills and some really good coverage technique to Minnesota. The Vikings redid their cornerback room in 2025 free agency, but they still have depth problems behind Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers.
Plus, Minnesota managed just eight interceptions this season (tied for sixth fewest). Well, over the past two campaigns, Delane has six picks and 18 pass breakups. That's impact production, and coordinator Brian Flores would love to get a player such as Delane into his unit."
Delane was solid in his three years at Virginia Tech, earning honorable mention All-ACC honors as a freshman in 2022 and Third-Team honors as a junior in 2024.
But he took things to the next level in his lone season with the Tigers, posting the third-best PFF coverage grade among all cornerbacks in the country, trailing only Notre Dame's Leonard Moore (92.5) and San Diego State's Chris Johnson (92.4). He also surrendered only 13 catches in 11 games for 147 yards and didn't allow a single touchdown.
Now, that's a shutdown corner. And if this is the direction the Vikings ultimately take, it could easily be considered somewhat of a steal, as many mock drafts don't have him falling this far, with some even including him among the top 10.
Some might not like the pick with Minnesota seemingly locked in with Murphy and Rodgers in the starting lineup. But let's not forget that Rodgers has just one year remaining on his contract. And honestly, if Delane comes in and wows in training camp, the Vikings do have the option of moving Rodgers to safety, where they also need help anyway.
So, there's really no downside to this selection if it plays out.