THURM'S MOCK DRAFT
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THURM'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON MAR 17, 2026

TNT31726

  • THURM DRAFTING FOR THE
    Vikings
Draft Selections
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 18 RND: 1 (MIN)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Caleb Banks Head Shot
PICK: 49 RND: 2 (MIN)
Caleb Banks
DL Florida
Jake Slaughter Head Shot
PICK: 82 RND: 3 (MIN)
Jake Slaughter
C Florida
Zakee Wheatley Head Shot
PICK: 97 RND: 3 (MIN)
Zakee Wheatley
S Penn State
Nate Boerkircher Head Shot
PICK: 163 RND: 5 (MIN)
Nate Boerkircher
TE Texas A&M
Zane Durant Head Shot
PICK: 196 RND: 6 (MIN)
Zane Durant
DT Penn State
Thaddeus Dixon Head Shot
PICK: 234 RND: 7 (MIN)
Thaddeus Dixon
CB North Carolina
Jeff Caldwell Head Shot
PICK: 235 RND: 7 (MIN)
Jeff Caldwell
WR Cincinnati
DJ Harvey Head Shot
PICK: 244 RND: 7 (MIN)
DJ Harvey
CB USC
Draft Grade — Vikings
Overall B-
ValueB+ NeedB- TradesB- FutureB-
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Vikings and Slaughter: B-.

Somebody in No. 82 was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Vikings sat still while Jake Slaughter, the No. 54 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium.

They punted on quarterback, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. Safety was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job.

In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the quarterback spot they never got to.

Pick Analysis
Pick18 Rnd1 Arvell Reese
In slot 18 they get a green-dot type in the middle, outstanding value to boot. Need was not the driver here.
Pick49 Rnd2 Caleb Banks
Caleb Banks in the 49th overall pick lands just on the right side of the ledger. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick82 Rnd3 Jake Slaughter
Jake Slaughter in pick No. 82 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick97 Rnd3 Zakee Wheatley
They let Zakee Wheatley come to them and pounced at the Round 3 slot. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick163 Rnd5 Nate Boerkircher
Nate Boerkircher at pick 163 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick196 Rnd6 Zane Durant
The board fumbled Zane Durant all the way to No. 196, and they scooped it up. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick234 Rnd7 Thaddeus Dixon
A cornerback of that caliber at Round 7, Pick 18 is the definition of value, full stop. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Pick235 Rnd7 Jeff Caldwell
Jeff Caldwell slipping to the 235th pick is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick244 Rnd7 DJ Harvey
They read the board right and DJ Harvey was the payoff at pick No. 244. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.