B-
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings won the night they stopped Slaughter from sliding. Grade: B-.
by MNFtball2025 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 5 steals
· 0 reaches
The best pick of the weekend was also the simplest. The Vikings watched Jake Slaughter slide 39 picks past his grade and did not hesitate. Nothing here to lose sleep over; call it a B-.
The quarterback spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 18 they get a three-down second-level presence, and a steal at that.
D'Angelo Ponds in the 49th overall pick is fair value, right on his grade. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Eli Stowers at the Round 3 slot is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. The roster fit checks out.
Jake Slaughter at slot 97 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
A slide stopped in pick 163, with Kaytron Allen worth more than the price. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Keagen Trost slipping to pick No. 196 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
A straight-up fair deal on TJ Hall at the 234th pick, value and slot in agreement. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.
No drama and no debate, Zavion Thomas went about where he belonged in No. 235. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
By-the-book stuff, Jalen Huskey at pick 244 squarely in line with his ranking. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.