B+
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings robbed the room for Slaughter. Final grade: B+.
by MNFtball2025 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 8 steals
· 0 reaches
The Vikings did not reach, did not trade up, did not blink. They just waited, and Jake Slaughter fell into pick No. 82. It does the job without flash, and the B+ reflects it.
That quarterback hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall. The Vikings indulged a want in Igbinosun while a need in quarterback, edge rusher and other spots stayed open. The Kader Kohou pickup adds a known quantity to a class of unknowns.
They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
Nothing here to lose sleep over, and plenty to feel decent about.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 31 they get an enforcer at safety. The biggest hole, addressed.
D'Angelo Ponds in the 62nd pick is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
You do not let an offensive lineman like Jake Slaughter reach Round 3, Pick 18 and blink. They did not. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Of all the spots to shop, they chose cornerback. Davison Igbinosun in pick No. 97 leaves quarterback, edge rusher and other spots for later.
They let Kaytron Allen come to them and pounced at pick 163. It fills a real need, too.
A wide receiver of that caliber at the 165th overall pick is the definition of value, full stop. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
By-the-book stuff, VJ Payne at slot 199 squarely in line with his ranking. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Nice patience on Toriano Pride Jr., who had no business lasting to the Round 7 slot. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
TJ Hall at slot 235 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Zavion Thomas at Round 7, Pick 28 is the proof. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They read the board right and Miles Kitselman was the payoff at No. 247. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.