D+
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings got the worse of every deal, and it shows in the D+.
by eskildsewe ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 6 steals
· 1 reaches
They will call it conviction in the building and a reach everywhere else: Max Bredeson, 159 picks early at the 196th overall pick. Put together, it is a D+.
Overpaying at the table undid a lot of the good work elsewhere. The quarterback hole is the one line item this class does not answer.
The bill for those future picks comes due whether the class hits or not. The Lance pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged.
Bottom line, they will need several of these picks to beat their grades just to break even, and quarterback is still a hole.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 7 they get a bell-cow for the offense. A clean fit for the roster.
No edge and no loss on A.J. Haulcy in the 49th overall pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They let Connor Lew come to them and pounced at the 92nd pick. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Bryce Lance in pick No. 112 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. It fills a real need, too.
They read the board right and Zxavian Harris was the payoff at slot 163. The roster fit checks out.
Max Bredeson at Round 6, Pick 15 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A quiet steal in the Round 7 slot: TJ Hall for less than the market said. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Zavion Thomas slid further than he should have, and slot 235 is lovely value for the wide receiver. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Jaren Kanak in pick 244. It patches a soft spot without any drama.