Vikings Mock Draft Roundup 9.0: Post NFL Scouting Combine mock drafts send 3 new prospects to Minnesota
The National Football League Scouting Combine is now over and we are a week away from free agency. What is really interesting about how mock drafts have viewed the Minnesota Vikings before free agency is the different selections they have had. Through nine weeks, the Vikings have been sent a whopping 39 different prospects across […]
The National Football League Scouting Combine is now over and we are a week away from free agency. What is really interesting about how mock drafts have viewed the Minnesota Vikings before free agency is the different selections they have had.
Through nine weeks, the Vikings have been sent a whopping 39 different prospects across 242 mock drafts. This week, three new prospects joined the fold, including an offensive lineman that will make fans very happy.
Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
- Los Angeles Times' Sam Farmer
- NFL.com's Bucky Brooks
- Yahoo! Sports' Nate Tice and Charles McDonald
- Fox Sports' Jason McIntyre
The Vikings might have to make some business decisions in their high-priced secondary. Barron is a particularly sure tackler.-Farmer
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
For some reason Malaki Starks is beginning to drop down mock draft and big boards for the 2025 NFL Draft, but it's likely just prospect fatigue. He's been a first round pick talent since his true freshman season with the Georgia Bulldogs where he immediately became the every down leader of the defense. The Vikings are due for a reset at the safety position and Starks is the perfect answer there. The NFL Combine should remind us all that this is a great pick.-May
Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
- A to Z Sports' Adam Holt
- Pro Football Network's Owain Jones
- Fantasy Points' Brett Whitefield
- Fantasy Life's Matthew Freedman
- CBS Sports' Kyle Stackpole
Interior defensive line is a notable need for Minnesota, and Harmon's Combine performance showed his unique athleticism for his size. Great fit for Brian Flores' defense, too.-Holt
Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
I’m still waiting for the 2025 NFL mock draft community to join me on the Xavier Watts hype train because it’s quite empty right now. But I’ll continue to parade the Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety as a top-15 player in this class.
Minnesota is going to have four openings in their secondary and with two (and a half) safeties off the board here, they start this 7-round NFL mock draft with one of the best pure safeties in the class.-Helms
James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
The uber-talented Pearce put up 17.5 sacks in the last two years and finished with 43 quarterback hurries last year, according to PFF. He’s long and capable of dropping into coverage when required for a zone blitz. If the Vikings land Pearce and rotate him with Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard, defensive coordinator Brian Flores would have weapons galore in his arsenal.-Scott Dochterman
Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
Projected to only have four draft picks – including one expected compensatory selection for losing Kirk Cousins – the Vikings seem like a strong candidate to trade back if they could find a willing partner. If they stand pat, the massively powerful Booker would be a sensible option to address the team's longstanding issues up front.-Middlehurst-Schwartz
Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
Cornerbacks are a need in the NFC North, and Morrison would be a nice get as the top secondary players start to come off the board late in the first round. The Vikings were led by 34-year old Stephon Gilmore as their top secondary this past season, and they’re going to need to get younger. Morrison is smart, disciplined, and is a blanket in coverage.-Pendelton
Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
Jackson's size and movement skills make him an ideal fit for the Vikings stretch-run based offense.-Trapasso
Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
- College Football Network's Owain Jones
- Pro Football Network's Jacob Infante
- Athlon Sports' Luke Easterling
Nick Emmanwori is expected to put on a show at the 2025 NFL Combine, so don’t be surprised if he is a staple of first-round mock drafts when the dust has settled in Indianapolis.
An elite athlete, Emmanwori is physically gifted at 6’3” and 227 pounds and possesses violent quickness to be physical in run support. His size negates conceivable mismatches against tight ends in coverage, while the South Carolina defensive back’s movement and tracking skills allow him to narrow in on potential playmakers.-Jones
Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
The question for Revel is what pre-draft medical exams reveal about the torn ACL he sustained in September. He’ll be among the draft’s top cornerbacks if teams are confident in his health. That would be a boost for Minnesota, which is losing nearly all of its cornerback production to free agency.-Mackie
Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The Vikings are in need of a reliable running back option. It is unclear if free agent Aaron Jones will be returning to the team, and if the inexperienced J.J. McCarthy is starting under center, he’ll need someone to take attention off of him.
Omarion Hampton is a playmaker. He averaged over 150 yards per game over his last two seasons for the Tar Heels. He has the prototypical frame of an NFL back, coming in at 6’0″ and 220 pounds. Expect Hampton to be a do-it-all player for the Vikings, who will be able to impact the game on all three downs.-Enriquez
Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
There are big needs in the secondary, but if the board falls this way, the Vikings would be wise to follow the value into the defensive trenches instead. They need a dominant, disruptive interior defender who can blow up the run and impact that quarterback as a pass rusher, and Nolen is a former five-star recruit with rare physical traits that give him a limitless ceiling.-Easterling
Grey Zabel, OG, North Dakota State
Interior offensive line is my No. 1 need for the Vikings right now, with guard Dalton Risner hitting free agency and center Garrett Bradbury one year out from potentially doing the same. Enter Zabel, the ultimate swing man who can play anywhere. He played both tackle spots and both guard spots in college, and he took reps at center at the Senior Bowl — where he quieted any concerns about his level of competition at North Dakota State by dominating. I love his pass-blocking fundamentals, and he's a Round 1-caliber player.
Minnesota could keep its offensive line strong by bringing Zabel in and slotting him wherever he's needed.-Kiper Jr.
Jihaad Campbell, ILB, Alabama
Jihaad Campbell established himself as a first-round selection at the NFL Combine. Campbell is an elite athlete with easy movement skills. His ability to defend the run, rush the passer, and play in coverage would be maximized in Brian Flores' defense.-Melo
Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State
At nearly 6’3” and 195 pounds, Darien Porter brings a rare blend of size and speed to the 2025 NFL Draft. A former high school track champion in the 200m, 400m, and 800m, his athleticism was on full display at the Combine.
The one-year Iowa State starter ran a blazing 4.30-second 40-yard dash with a 1.49-second 10-yard split and posted a 10’11” broad jump. Though still refining his footwork and press technique, Porter’s length (33 1/8″ arms) and strong hands stood out in drills, particularly in the gauntlet.-Fragoza
| Player | Selections |
|---|---|
CB Jahdae Barron | 29 |
CB Shavon Revel Jr. | 26 |
CB Benjamin Morrison | 21 |
DT Derrick Harmon | 20 |
DT Walter Nolen | 19 |
DT Kenneth Grant | 17 |
S Nick Emmanwori | 17 |
OG Tyler Booker | 16 |
S Malaki Starks | 12 |
RB Omarion Hampton | 6 |
CB Trey Amos | 5 |
DT Tyleik Williams | 5 |
ILB Jihaad Campbell | 5 |
OL Donovan Jackson | 5 |
RB Ashton Jeanty | 4 |
EDGE Shemar Stewart | 4 |
CB Azareye’h Thomas | 3 |
OT Josh Conerly Jr. | 3 |
CB Darien Porter Jr. | 3 |
RB Quinshon Judkins | 2 |
RB TreVeyon Henderson | 2 |
OT Emery Jones Jr. | 1 |
OG Tate Ratledge | 1 |
EDGE Landon Jackson | 1 |
OL Marcus Mbow | 1 |
OT Josh Simmons | 1 |
EDGE Mykel Williams | 1 |
OT Jonah Savaiinaea | 1 |
RB Kaleb Johnson | 1 |
CB Maxwell Hairston | 1 |
CB/WR Travis Hunter | 1 |
DT Omarr Norman-Lott | 1 |
DT T.J. Sanders | 1 |
OT Armand Membou | 1 |
DT Deone Walker | 1 |
DT Darius Alexander | 1 |
S Xavier Watts | 1 |
EDGE James Pearce Jr. | 1 |
OL Grey Zabel | 1 |
Total | 242 |
