B
Minnesota Vikings
Grand theft in the 82nd pick: the Vikings steal Slaughter and grade out a B.
by - ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 8 steals
· 0 reaches
Somewhere a general manager is explaining how Jake Slaughter got past him. The Vikings do not have to explain a thing at the 82nd pick.
A whole weekend of picks and quarterback is somehow still a want. Job largely done: safety settled and 6 of 8 of the wish list covered.
Value over need was the throughline, for better and worse.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the quarterback spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 18 they get a three-down runner, and a steal at that. A real need, handled.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Dillon Thieneman in slot 49. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Somehow Jake Slaughter was still sitting there in the Round 3 slot, and they pounced on premier offensive lineman value. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Domonique Orange in the 97th overall pick should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. It fills a real need, too.
Charles Demmings at pick No. 163 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. A minor itch, scratched.
Value with a capital V on Dae'Quan Wright in pick 196, a genuine coup. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A slide stopped in Round 7, Pick 18, with Jimmy Rolder worth more than the price. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Zavion Thomas at the 235th pick. A need, and now a little less of one.
Owen Heinecke in Round 7, Pick 28 lands just on the right side of the ledger. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.