Man! 3 wks till draft...

DLs don't have a lot of value at 18. There is no center there worth taking. Corner just feels like a position with little urgency. Don't need a tackle that high or a guard. Edge is not a need unless we trade Greenard. With Wilson signing a 3-year deal, it's hard to see LB that high (though it should be noted that Cashman is in a contract year).

That leaves one of those two safeties, WR or Kenyon Sadiq. This could be a year where the Vikings fill needs later in the draft and just draft the best athlete available. And that could easily be WR or TE.

MaroonBells wrote:
DLs don't have a lot of value at 18. There is no center there worth taking. Corner just feels like a position with little urgency. Don't need a tackle that high or a guard. Edge is not a need unless we trade Greenard. With Wilson signing a 3-year deal, it's hard to see LB that high (though it should be noted that Cashman is in a contract year).

That leaves one of those two safeties, WR or Kenyon Sadiq. This could be a year where the Vikings fill needs later in the draft and just draft the best athlete available. And that could easily be WR or TE.

I'd still love to trade down a few slots and pick-up a 4th maybe????

Tea leaves Ive been reading on Sadiq is he's trending down. It's also lying season. 

But there is a lot intriguing about the guy and he'd be a hell of a match-up for defenses.

Probably be a good backfill for TJH in another year. At least in terms of a weapon catching the football.

I think Sadiq would have the biggest impact of any other pick, he is one of those freakish athletes who comes along every so often. Think he would create mismatches and would really help to free up Jefferson. Argument against him could be made with TJ on the roster, but we took Moss when we had Carter and Reed and AD when we had Chester Taylor and that turned out pretty well

purplefaithful wrote:

I'd still love to trade down a few slots and pick-up a 4th maybe????

Tea leaves Ive been reading on Sadiq is he's trending down. It's also lying season. 

But there is a lot intriguing about the guy and he'd be a hell of a match-up for defenses.

Probably be a good backfill for TJH in another year. At least in terms of a weapon catching the football.

I like the notion of a trade back if there are still players of similar value at positions of need in our landing spot.  additional day 3 picks could be handy if we want to get our center as I imagine with so many knowing we need to add a C, that we will likely get jumped if we arent ready to move up in the 3rd or even the late 2nd to grab Lew if that is who they are targeting.

MaroonBells wrote:
DLs don't have a lot of value at 18. There is no center there worth taking. Corner just feels like a position with little urgency. Don't need a tackle that high or a guard. Edge is not a need unless we trade Greenard. With Wilson signing a 3-year deal, it's hard to see LB that high (though it should be noted that Cashman is in a contract year).

That leaves one of those two safeties, WR or Kenyon Sadiq. This could be a year where the Vikings fill needs later in the draft and just draft the best athlete available. And that could easily be WR or TE.

I'm right there with you in your assessment. I'm still not a proponent of using first round picks on safeties. I think Smith is coming back, and I'm fairly comfortable with Mettelus, Jackson and Ward in the fold,
...so to me, that takes safety off the immediate needs list. I just don't think you burn the 18th pick on a safety. I still think Peter Woods is a possible option because of how well he fits the system, but to me, this pick just screams receiver from a needs and value standpoint. 

Sadiq is intriguing, but there are red flags there. Never dominated despite his athletic prowess, was a total non factor in the playoffs, and as the season wore on he was losing reps to another TE on the Oregon roster. He's a Vernon Davis comp, but what you'd actually get is certainly risky.

supafreak84 wrote:

I'm right there with you in your assessment. I'm still not a proponent of using first round picks on safeties. I think Smith is coming back, and I'm fairly comfortable with Mettelus, Jackson and Ward in the fold,
...so to me, that takes safety off the immediate needs list. I just don't think you burn the 18th pick on a safety. I still think Peter Woods is a possible option because of how well he fits the system, but to me, this pick just screams receiver from a needs and value standpoint. 

Sadiq is intriguing, but there are red flags there. Never dominated despite his athletic prowess, was a total non factor in the playoffs, and as the season wore on he was losing reps to another TE on the Oregon roster. He's a Vernon Davis comp, but what you'd actually get is certainly risky.

I hate taking TEs that high. There are some good ones in the middle rounds too. And yes, Vernon Davis. I forgot to mention RB, but 18 seems to be the midpoint between where Love will go and the next guy. 

But I could see KOC intrigued by getting his Hock replacement a year early and using him in the slot until then. And there will almost undoubtedly be a pretty good WR there too. Cooper and Tyson look like mid-to-late teen values. I'd prefer to grab one later, but I'm just finding it hard to find a good value at 18 among our bigger needs.

Everything I have read says this draft is not very strong at the top. And actually overall it's not very strong, but the strength does seem to come from the 2nd day depth. Seems like a lot of centers, safeties, corner backs, and defensive lineman to be had that can be day 1 starters or solid depth guys.

On the flip side, I have heard that the 27 draft will be one of the strongest in decades. I am not draft guy so this is my brain aggregating what I have read.

Maybe this is the perfect time for the Vikings to leverage the 26 draft stock in to 27 draft equity. Maybe move back from 18 and get a 2nd or a 3rd next year?

Kiper Jr was on radio and saying:

#2 spot is still wide open; Reese or Styles?

Cleveland should be in a good place for value with top needs being OT and WR (and currently having pick #6 and #24)

Thinks WR is the deepest position group in draft:
Tyson/Tate/Lemon, put their names in a hat and pick one
Cooper (IU) one of the highest risers of the draft, may be a rd1 pick now

Thinks Love is one of the top players regardless of position: a really great pass catcher + runner

Sadiq is a freakish athlete but has a history of drops. His lack of good hands puts him in a similar category as Troy Williamson's lack of good hand/eye coordination. I'll pass.

I don't know if it will fall this way, but I kinda like this...

Rd 1 - 18: Oregon S Dillon Thieneman (Harry is NOT coming back)
Rd 2 - 49: Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price
Rd 3 - 82: Auburn C Connor Lew (with Brandel starting until Lew is fully healed from his ACL)
Rd 3 - 97: my crystal ball gets really fuzzy

I bet this happens. Makes sense for both teams. Arizona will likely ask for the Cowboys 2027 1st giving them more ammo to get their QB

The Cardinals and Cowboys have conducted early trade talks centered around the No. 3 overall pick, per @McShay13.

Dallas would be targeting Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey. pic.twitter.com/e0VaugHvgR

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) April 3, 2026

MaroonBells wrote:
I bet this happens. Makes sense for both teams. Arizona will likely ask for the Cowboys 2027 1st giving them more ammo to get their QB

It's so very Kwesi like...

But in theory could benefit both teams (very un Kwesi like.)

AZ and Houston did this exact trade a couple years ago. AZ had #3, Houston was at #12 and gave up a 1st and more to come up for Will Anderson.

MaroonBells wrote:
I bet this happens. Makes sense for both teams. Arizona will likely ask for the Cowboys 2027 1st giving them more ammo to get their QB

I wouldn't be surprised to see this sort of trade happen more than once, where a team with a QB and a team wanting a 2027 QB make a trade that sends a 2027 first. Just not sure how many talented enough players there are that would warrant such a trade.

I think we will see a lot of movement and teams moving up to get their guy. The cost to move up won't be as much as normal because it's not a loaded draft and you will see teams trying to trade down and load up for the 2027 draft...which is good strategy. Outside of Love, I don't think there's anybody the Vikings would look to move up for, and considering he'll be a top 5 pick, the Vikings will in all likelihood sit tight and see what falls to them.

supafreak84 wrote:
I think we will see a lot of movement and teams moving up to get their guy. The cost to move up won't be as much as normal because it's not a loaded draft and you will see teams trying to trade down and load up for the 2027 draft...which is good strategy. Outside of Love, I don't think there's anybody the Vikings would look to move up for, and considering he'll be a top 5 pick, the Vikings will in all likelihood sit tight and see what falls to them.

What do you think about Jermod McCoy?

Canthony wrote:

What do you think about Jermod McCoy?

I like him and think his trajectory is up to where he likely wouldn't be on the board at #18, but even if he was, after signing the Pittsburgh corner and how we are able to function effectively without top end corners, I don't think that's the direction we'd go in at #18

supafreak84 wrote:

I like him and think his trajectory is up to where he likely wouldn't be on the board at #18, but even if he was, after signing the Pittsburgh corner and how we are able to function effectively without top end corners, I don't think that's the direction we'd go in at #18

I feel that way as well about a CB in this system. For me, I would have a hard time passing on him, however. Thienamen looks to be gone by 18. I am not huge on a S in the first round and never have been. It almost feels like a trade back spot this year at 18.

I dont get the take that S is not a premium position?

I mean look what a young Harry meant to this D over the years

That said, I'll have to give Supa a gold star if they go WR in Rd1. It's not out of the realm of possibility at this point and I thought it crazy at first. Especially if they cant get a decent trade down offer.

purplefaithful wrote:
I dont get the take that S is not a premium position?

I mean look what a young Harry meant to this D over the years

That said, I'll have to give Supa a gold star if they go WR in Rd1. It's not out of the realm of possibility at this point and I thought it crazy at first. Especially if they cant get a decent trade down offer.

WR would be crazy in the first. I could see Germie Bernard in the 2nd if he's there, he most likely won't, however.

purplefaithful wrote:
I dont get the take that S is not a premium position?

I mean look what a young Harry meant to this D over the years

That said, I'll have to give Supa a gold star if they go WR in Rd1. It's not out of the realm of possibility at this point and I thought it crazy at first. Especially if they cant get a decent trade down offer.

I think Emmanwori would have looked nice in our D. Especially the way BFlo deploys his safeties.

Second place for DROY and all. 

But, who could have seen that coming?