NFL awards the Minnesota Vikings exactly what everyone predicted ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft

Sam Darnold gives the Minnesota Vikings one last gift after winning the Super Bowl.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell is seen during warmups prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings spent the entirety of the 2025 offseason working on securing compensatory picks. They were at one point projected to receive three compensatory picks, but they were awarded just one.

The NFL released its compensatory picks, and the Vikings got the best selection in the NFL at 97th overall.

Minnesota Vikings get one compensatory pick

Getting the 97th overall pick is a big one for the Vikings, as they will be picking now four times in the top 100 of the NFL Draft. It’s also the second consecutive season they landed the 97th overall pick, as they got that last year for the Atlanta Falcons’ signing of quarterback Kirk Cousins.

It’s going to make a big difference in maximizing the roster for 2026, along with having another potential starter long-term for the Vikings. Where things are frustrating for the team is that they ended up getting just 97th overall.

They were expected to get picks at one point for both quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Trent Sherfield, but those went away.

The Broncos cut Sherfield during the season, taking him below the needed snap threshold to qualify for the compensatory formula. On the other side of the coin, they lost the compensatory pick for Jones due to the success of inside linebacker Eric Wilson playing 90% of the snaps for the Vikings. That cancelled out the fourth-round pick he would have netted the Vikings.

The Vikings did sign Wilson to an extension on Sunday night, so it’s not for nothing.

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