Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft Tracker: Cornerback and safety continue to dominate the selections

Will the Minnesota Vikings take a safety in round one after the Lewis Cine disaster? It’s certainly possible.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Clemson defensive back Avieon Terrell (DB31) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, meaning a shift has begun to occur with the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL Draft.

We know that the Vikings are going to spend some resources addressing the quarterback position, but that will come in free agency. Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski is going to have some serious decisions on his hands.

We are now nine weeks into the mock draft tracker project, and there are some interesting changes.

Minnesota Vikings NFL mock draft tracker 9.0

Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

Scouting Report

“The Minnesota Vikings need help in the secondary of this defense. Avieon Terrell is a versatile defender who can play on the outside but also kick inside to the nickel position. This versatility will fit in great with defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ exotic scheme and give Terrell the opportunity to make impactful plays.” – Sanchez

Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

Scouting Report

“I’m not a big fan of projecting a first-round player who didn’t take a snap in 2025, but this is a weak year for corners and the Vikings need help on the island. McCoy showed good length and the ability to play man coverage and will be fully healthy in 2026. He also displayed a smooth backpedal, breaks quickly on routes and has excellent hands.” – Brockermeyer

Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

“Harrison Smith is 37-years-old; he might retire this offseason, and even if he returns, the safety room in Minnesota still has to be replenished. How about a Smith clone? Thieneman might not have Smith’s 6-foot-2 size (he’s 6-foot), but he reads the QB well and is savvy. That matters a lot in defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ defense, which asks a lot of rookies. Plus, Thieneman has versatility to move around the alignment, is a force against the run and had a six-INT season at Purdue back in 2023 before transferring to Oregon. He’d be a seamless fit in the Vikings’ defense.” – Kiper Jr.

Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

Scouting Report

“The first cornerback finally comes off the board at No. 18 overall. Brian Flores pursued head coaching opportunities this offseason, but he ultimately stayed put as the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator. Flores values high-level cornerback play and that could make LSU’s Mansoor Delane a target. Delane is an athletic defender who greets every challenge in coverage with enthusiasm.” – Melo

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

“It’s still unclear if Harrison Smith is going to return for the 2026 season. But either way, the Vikings have to figure out his replacement. And McNeil-Warren could be a great fit for defensive coordinator Brian Flores. McNeil-Warren (6-0, 202) has an aggressive downhill style that should fit a Flores defense.” – Zangaro

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

Scouting Report

“Jeremiyah Love will be off the board long before now in most mocks, but with the Saints, Chiefs, and Jets all prioritizing elsewhere, this makes sense to me. The Minnesota Vikings attempted to complement the aging Aaron Jones Sr. with Jordan Mason last summer, but not much went right offensively in 2025.

“With Jones another year older, and Mason yet to prove himself as a full-time feature back, the Vikings are a great landing spot for the clear No. 1 running back in the draft. Jones and Mason are both free agents next year, and after a miserable 2025 season, a fresh start at the running back position comes a year earlier than planned.” – Sheath

Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

“How do the Minnesota Vikings get better? Well, better health would go a long way. Adding a pass rusher like Kayden McDonald could be a play as well.” – Parise

Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

“Peter Woods (6’3/310) anchored Clemson’s interior defensive line recording 33 total tackles (13 solo), 5.0 havoc plays, 2.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks and 6 run stops, showcasing steady run-fit discipline despite modest splash-play volume. His pass-rush production was limited on the stat sheet as is evidenced by his 11 pressures, 3.2% pressure rate. Woods’ PFF pass-rush grade (65.5) reflects more pocket-influence than raw numbers, while his 74.2 PFF run-defense grade is a solid mark considering Woods was asked to line up over the ball much more often than in 2024. The result was a season that didn’t produce gaudy totals, but firmly established Woods as a rugged, assignment-sound interior with NFL projection upside tied to block-destruction, early-down reliability and scheme-context pass rushing.” – Froton

Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

“After flipping down with the Browns, the Vikings take a big swing at defensive tackle with Banks. He isn’t a finished product, but he’s a lot more polished than most designated projects and was incredibly disruptive in the three games he played this season. His movement skills and footwork are incredibly rare at 6-foot-6, 330, but he struggles to finish plays off the penetration he creates. Brian Flores would be a great coach to land with in regards to fixing that and the Vikings would have the chance for the elite interior talent this defense has been missing.” – Tice and McDonald

C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia

Scouting Report

“The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Allen isn’t the biggest linebacker, but he plays bigger than he’s listed. He’ll be an immediate game-changer and leader in the middle of Minnesota’s defense.” – McKenna

Overview

Through the NFL Scouting Combine, there were 29 more mock drafts added to the database for a grand total of 198. There wasn’t a single new player this week among the 11 selected in this batch of mock drafts, but we are starting to see patterns form.

Safety has become more of a priority among analysts, with 10 selections this week and 28 total this month. In January, safety had been selected just five times. The only player to be a selection every week is Terrell, with his lowest week being Senior Bowl week, with just three.

Through the first nine weeks, here is how the selections have played out.

PlayerSelections
CB Avieon Terrell64
S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren26
DT Kayden McDonald14
CB Jermod McCoy13
CB Mansoor Delane12
DT Caleb Banks10
CB Colton Hood8
RB Jeremiyah Love8
S Dillon Thieneman7
CB Brandon Cisse6
DT Peter Woods6
WR Denzel Boston5
TE Kenyon Sadiq4
OG Olaivavega Ioane3
LB C.J. Allen3
DT A’Mauri Washington2
WR Carnell Tate1
WR Makai Lemon1
CB Chris Johnson1
WR Jordyn Tyson1
EDGE Keldric Faulk1
OT Kadyn Proctor1
QB Ty Simpson1
Total198

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