B
Minnesota Vikings
No fireworks, just a tidy B for the Vikings.
by jimbo92107 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 5 steals
· 3 reaches
The Vikings did not so much draft Hykeem Williams as overpay for him, 34 picks clear of his grade. It sets an uneasy tone for the weekend. The bottom line is a respectable B.
The Lew pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged. The quarterback hole is the one line item this class does not answer.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but quarterback.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 18 they get a wrecking ball inside, even if it was a touch early. A real need, handled.
A slide stopped in the Round 2 slot, with Lee Hunter worth more than the price. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Steal is underselling it; Jake Golday at the 82nd pick is a heist with the alarm still ringing. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Taking Mike Washington Jr. in Round 3, Pick 33 is close to grand larceny; a running back that good had no business lasting this long. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Somehow Connor Lew was still sitting there in slot 111, and they pounced on premier offensive lineman value. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They let Charles Demmings come to them and pounced at the 163rd overall pick. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
They took VJ Payne at par in the Round 6 slot, which is nothing to complain about. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A straight-up fair deal on John Michael Gyllenborg at pick 234, value and slot in agreement. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Fa'alili Fa'amoe at the 235th overall pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Kaden Wetjen at No. 239 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the wide receiver. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Eli Heidenreich at Round 7, Pick 28 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
They talked themselves into Hykeem Williams at the 256th pick, and the board did not agree. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.