The annual East-West Shrine Bowl wrapped up earlier this month after multiple practices and a game in front of scouts representing the Minnesota Vikings and every other team in the NFL.
The East-West Shrine Bowl is typically made up of second-tier NFL Draft prospects, with the top guys hearing their names called sometime on the draft's second night. While it may not have the star power that is showcased at the Senior Bowl or NFL Scouting Combine, this event is chock full of players who not only make teams but earn starting roles and fill out depth.
It's the first step on the path to the draft and one that the Vikings were at and scouted heavily. There were a lot of intriguing prospects and ones who could fill holes on Minnesota's depth chart, but two stood out the most, and these two prospects absolutely need to be Vikings in 2026 and beyond.
Two prospects from the East-West Shrine Bowl who the Minnesota Vikings should target in the 2026 NFL Draft
Brian Parker II - OL (Duke)
The first prospect who needs to be a member of Minnesota's roster next season is Duke offensive lineman Brian Parker II.
Parker is a 6-foot-5, 300-pound college offensive tackle. He started 32 games at right tackle and one at left tackle during his four years for the Blue Devils. Despite the experience, Parker was never projected to be a tackle at the NFL level. He lacks ideal size and arm length, and he was already being projected as a guard as he prepared for professional ball and began his journey to the draft.
Instead of stubbornly sticking to his position of comfort, Parker and his representation made the decision to declare him a center. He told teams he was strictly going to play center and take every rep at that position. That proved to be a wise choice.
Parker dominated in one-on-one reps. He showed ideal hand placement, lateral agility, quickness, power, and an ability to anchor. He went head-on with Dontay Corleone, who is a very experienced defensive tackle and highly regarded prospect, and absolutely stonewalled him.
It was a very impressive showing for a guy who was playing a brand new position. He took to it with gusto and determination, and that carried over into the game itself.
Parker had clean exchanges with his quarterbacks and kept the middle of the pocket intact. Sure, it was an all-star game, but seeing Parker make the switch and seeming like a natural had to catch the attention of every single scout in attendance.
The Vikings have a big need at the center position. Ryan Kelly is more than likely going to be a cap casualty and really should just retire with the amount of concussions he's suffered.
Rolling with Michael Jurgens or moving Blake Brandel to the spot permanently are possible in-house solutions at the position. However, the team really seems to like Brandel as that swing tackle, and Jurgens is still far from being an everyday starter.
Minnesota should seek outside help for this position, and targeting a guy like Parker makes a ton of sense. He's new to the position, so while he may be a natural at it and have a ton of upside, he may be on the board longer than his talent merits.
If the Vikings can land him with one of their third-round picks, it could end up being one of the biggest steals of the draft, as he has the potential to be a decade-long starter.
Mason Reiger - EDGE (Wisconsin)
The next player from this year's East-West Shrine Bowl who definitely needs to be a Viking is Wisconsin edge rusher Mason Reiger.
Reiger dominated the game itself, with three sacks, one of those being a strip of the football. He demonstrated an explosive first step and blew by blockers with ease.
He's a high-motor, high-energy player who wins with quickness, determination, and effort. He's the definition of a "football player," and it's easy to tell he leaves it all on the field with every snap he takes.
While Reiger dominated the game, this is likely where his stock will peak for the draft season. He won't be a scout's dream by any means.
Reiger missed the entire 2024 season with an injury, which is the first major red flag. He's got a solid frame, standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 250 pounds, but isn't a freakish athlete like a lot of pass rushers in this class are, and may not put up great numbers when testing at the Combine or his Pro Day.
That being said, his heart, determination, and grit are off the charts, and his production in this game can't be ignored.
Minnesota doesn't have a major need for an edge rusher, but it could become a bigger issue as the offseason progresses.
If the team decides to trade Jonathan Greenard, they may address it fairly early in the draft to upgrade the depth behind Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner.
If they don't deal Greenard, they could still use a late-round pick to bring in another body for the rotation. This is where they could land Reiger.
He'd be an ideal late-Day 3 pick. He would only be on the board because of his injury history and physical limitations, but his natural pass-rushing instincts would be welcome in Brian Flores's attacking scheme.
He could turn out to be a major diamond in the rough and is the type of player the Vikings need to invest in, especially in a draft that will now have a gigantic microscope hovering over it following the firing of Minnesota general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday.