Minnesota Vikings load up on talented players at positions of need with good players in 2026 NFL mock draft

AJ Schulte of A to Z Sports released a three-round 2026 NFL Mock Draft that gives Minnesota Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah a great haul.

Tyler Forness NFL & College Football News Writer
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Sep 28, 2025; Dublin, Ireland; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stands on the sidelines prior to a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers during an NFL International Series game at Croke Park.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings are just one game away from the 2025 season being over, and the focus will be on improving during the offseason for 2026.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will have a lot on his plate to improve a team that was 4-8 at one point this season. They did make it back to 0.500 with a four-game winning streak, but it wasn’t enough to earn a playoff spot.

Where should the Vikings go from here? You can make arguments for multiple positions to be the focus, but the defense is going to be the biggest area to target young players. They only have two young players of starting caliber on defense in Dallas Turner and Jalen Redmond.

Our own AJ Schulte at A to Z Sports did a three-round mock draft and sent some really talented players to Minnesota.

Minnesota Vikings 3-round NFL mock draft

17. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

“I fully expect the Vikings to be investing in at least one rookie cornerback early on in the draft, and I love Terrell’s fit in their defense. Despite his size, Terrell is a fierce competitor with superb athletic ability and is one of the top playmakers at the position in the class.” – Schulte

Cornerback is a spot where the Vikings desperately need to add depth and youth with some serious upside potential. Terrell fits the bill for the Vikings, and the combination that Schulte describes of being a fierce competitor with superb athletic ability will fit in Brian Flores’ defense. One thing to remember: the Vikings haven’t shown to care much about size, as both Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers are sub 6′ and 200 pounds.

48. Kamari Ramsey, S, USC

In the defensive backfield, it’s not just cornerback that needs to be addressed. Safety is a rough spot. Harrison Smith is likely going to retire, Theo Jackson hasn’t taken a step forward, Jay Ward is still a massive unknown, and Josh Metellus is coming off a season-ending shoulder injury.

Ramsey is an instinctive athlete on the back end who has plus eyes in zone coverage. He sees the field well and attacks accordingly. Ramsey will need some help becoming more consistent in run defense, but there is plenty to work with at the next level.

79. Logan Jones, C, Iowa

Center has been a tough spot for the Vikings. They never saw the expected growth from Garrett Bradbury that you normally get from a first-round pick. When they let him go, Ryan Kelly was very good, but the concussions he suffered ended his season early with two stints on injured reserve. Blake Brandel and Michael Jurgens have both shown themselves to be capable, but haven’t done enough to cement themselves as the future center.

Jones comes from the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line at Iowa, and there is a lot to like. He’s plenty athletic off the ball and climbs well to the second level off combo blocks. He’s available here due to his lack of size and true anchor. It’s a good bet for the Vikings to take in the third round.