Minnesota Vikings NFL Draft Preview: Rob Brzezinski has a chance to select a bevy of sleepers on day three
NFL Draft coverage focuses more on first-round players for obvious reasons, but Super Bowls are won on day three. Tyler Forness highlights five players who could be steals on day three.
The Minnesota Vikings have just seven days to finalize their NFL Draft strategy.
The majority of the focus has been on what the Vikings will do at 18th overall, and for good reason. The best prospects are taken in the first round. Even so, Super Bowl titles aren’t won in the first round; they are won on day three.
Who are some players that the Vikings could target with surplus value? Let’s dive in.
Caleb Douglas, WR, Texas Tech
The wide receiver position is quite an interesting one, and arguably the deepest in the class. In my top 100 big board, there are 16 wide receivers that made the cut. The Vikings are likely to take one, but it might not be until later on.
Douglas is your classic height/weight/speed receiver, having run a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at nearly 6-4 and 206 pounds. He wasn’t super productive in his first two years with the Florida Gators, but he emerged in 2024 with the Red Raiders with back-to-back seasons over 800 yards. He would be giving the Vikings an interesting option, as they don’t have the size that Douglas possesses.
John Michael Gyllenborg, TE, Wyoming
My ideal scenario is the Vikings select Kenyon Sadiq of the Oregon Ducks in the first round of the NFL Draft. It would give the Vikings a tight end option to replace T.J. Hockenson in 2027. If they don’t, a tight end could be an option on day three to get competition for Ben Yurosek and Gavin Bartholomew.
Gyllenborg hasn’t been playing football for very long, which is fine for a TE3. He’s got great size and athleticism with plus ability to run up the seam. There needs to be a lot of technique development with Gyllenborg, but it’s worth investing in.
Zane Durant, DT, Penn State
This isn’t a very strong defensive tackle class overall. Peter Woods didn’t live up to his billing of being a potential top-five selection, Caleb Banks has the foot injury, and Kayden McDonald is a two-down player. Finding a high-upside player at value is arguably the best option.
Durant is a smaller gap shooter at 6-1 and 291 pounds, but he’s incredibly explosive with a 4.75-second 40-yard dash. That profile fits with how Brian Flores likes to attack with his pressure packages. Adding a player like Durant with Jalen Redmond would give them a lot of success with getting penetration.
Eric Gentry, LB, USC
There isn’t a single player in the NFL Draft more fascinating than Gentry. He’s built like former Detroit Pistons small forward Tayshaun Prince.
What are you supposed to do with a player like Gentry? Well, with his 40-yard dash time being sub 4.6 seconds and plus lateral movement skills, finding a role is easy. Have him be a dimebacker who shrinks passing lanes with his insane height and wingspan. If it doesn’t work on defense, that’s fine, because Gentry can be a core special teams player.
Ahmari Harvey, CB, Georgia Tech
There is no secret about how much I love watching Harvey play football. He is the captain of the All Forno team and my favorite player in the class. He might be slightly undersized, but he plays with all the dog in the world, which is why he’s 65th on my big board and CB10. His eyes are excellent in diagnosing route concepts and the running game in front of him. Harvey is aggressive against the run, and is violent with wide receivers in coverage.
It’s usually a concern for players to be a little bit smaller on the outside. However, Harvey’s toughness and willingness to scrap with whoever is on the opposite side will translate to the NFL level. Pair that with plus ball skills and he can be a contributor early and often.
