D+
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings let Hood fall into their laps, and walked away with a D+.
by fluidhips ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 10 steals
· 0 reaches
Call it larceny. Colton Hood sat on the board until the 244th pick, and the Vikings did not need to be asked twice.
Overpaying at the table undid a lot of the good work elsewhere. Spending an early pick on cornerback with quarterback and offensive lineman open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to.
They will regret leaving quarterback for another day if the season turns on it.
The verdict is not kind, and fairly so; this class has a hill to climb.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 18 they get a lead back with juice at a price that makes it sweeter. A real need, handled.
You do not let an edge rusher like David Bailey reach slot 49 and blink. They did not. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Circle this one: Jermod McCoy at the 82nd overall pick is a fall that decides a draft. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
A top-tier linebacker at a bargain, Sonny Styles in pick No. 113, plain and simple. A minor itch, scratched.
A curious use of pick 118. Quarterback and offensive lineman needed the pick; a cornerback in Mansoor Delane did not.
Jordyn Tyson in the Round 5 slot is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Kenyon Sadiq in the 196th pick is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They barely believed it either: Bud Clark still on the board at Round 7, Pick 18. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Lee Hunter at the Round 7 slot is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Colton Hood at pick No. 244 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.