B
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings let Golday fall into their laps, and walked away with a B.
by jimbo92107 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 6 steals
· 0 reaches
You could see the war room lean forward. Jake Golday at pick No. 97 is the sort of fall that does not happen, except it just did.
The quarterback hole is the one line item this class does not answer. Edge rusher is handled and the depth chart looks a good deal healthier for it. Nearly every premium pick went to that side of the ball.
In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
A tidy bit of business in the 18th overall pick, where Arvell Reese graded well above the range. A minor itch, scratched.
They read the board right and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was the payoff at No. 49. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
D'Angelo Ponds at pick No. 82 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Jake Golday at the Round 3 slot is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Zxavian Harris in the 163rd pick. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Anez Cooper slipping to Round 6, Pick 15 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
The board had Riley Nowakowski higher than slot 234, and the tight end fell to them anyway. The roster fit checks out.
By-the-book stuff, Kaden Wetjen at pick 235 squarely in line with his ranking. A need, and now a little less of one.
They paid sticker price for Eli Heidenreich in slot 244, and that is fine. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.