B
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings won the night they stopped Rivers from sliding. Grade: B.
by Jfresh2800 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 13 picks
· 9 steals
· 1 reaches
Somebody in the 196th overall pick was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Vikings sat still while Eric Rivers, the No. 171 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium. It does the job without flash, and the B reflects it.
With edge rusher unsolved, spending premium capital on cornerback is the choice that costs them. For all the activity, edge rusher went untouched, which is hard to explain. Small wins on the phones, but wins all the same.
Nothing here to lose sleep over, and plenty to feel decent about.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 20th pick they get a three-down second-level presence at a price that makes it sweeter. Need was not the driver here.
A slide stopped in pick No. 57, with Emmanuel McNeil-Warren worth more than the price. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
The board fumbled Jadarian Price all the way to No. 82, and they scooped it up. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A tidy bit of business in Round 3, Pick 25, where Treydan Stukes graded well above the range. A minor itch, scratched.
Nice patience on Connor Lew, who had no business lasting to slot 92. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
The eyebrow-raiser of the weekend. They went cornerback with Daylen Everette while clear needs at edge rusher sat open.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Bryce Lance at the Round 4 slot. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Zxavian Harris at the 163rd overall pick is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the interior defensive lineman. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Taking Eric Rivers in pick No. 196 is close to grand larceny; a wide receiver that good had no business lasting this long. The roster fit checks out.
Jadon Canady at slot 234 is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Miles Kitselman at No. 235 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They paid up for Diego Pavia at the 239th pick when waiting would have done the job. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A market-rate running back, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Jaydn Ott. It fills a real need, too.