Dmeschbe 'S MOCK DRAFT
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Dmeschbe 'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON JAN 9, 2026

Darin Meschberger

  • Dmeschbe DRAFTING FOR THE
    Vikings
Draft Selections
Kenyon Sadiq Head Shot
PICK: 30 RND: 1 (MIN)
Kenyon Sadiq
TE Oregon
Sonny Styles Head Shot
PICK: 49 RND: 2 (MIN)
Sonny Styles
LB Ohio State
Connor Lew Head Shot
PICK: 62 RND: 2 (MIN)
Connor Lew
C Auburn
A.J. Haulcy Head Shot
PICK: 82 RND: 3 (MIN)
A.J. Haulcy
S LSU
Julian Neal Head Shot
PICK: 97 RND: 3 (MIN)
Julian Neal
CB Arkansas
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 125 RND: 4 (MIN)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Iapani Laloulu Head Shot
PICK: 161 RND: 5 (MIN)
Iapani Laloulu
C Oregon
Trinidad Chambliss Head Shot
PICK: 196 RND: 6 (MIN)
Trinidad Chambliss
QB Ole Miss
CJ Daniels Head Shot
PICK: 202 RND: 6 (MIN)
CJ Daniels
WR Miami
Pat Coogan Head Shot
PICK: 234 RND: 7 (MIN)
Pat Coogan
C Indiana
Trey Holly Head Shot
PICK: 244 RND: 7 (MIN)
Trey Holly
RB Southern
Draft Picks Received
Kenyon Sadiq Head Shot
PICK: 30 RND: 1 (NE)
Kenyon Sadiq
TE Oregon
Connor Lew Head Shot
PICK: 62 RND: 2 (NE)
Connor Lew
C Auburn
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 125 RND: 4 (NE)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
CJ Daniels Head Shot
PICK: 202 RND: 6 (NE)
CJ Daniels
WR Miami
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 3 (NE)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Carnell Tate Head Shot
PICK: 18 RND: 1 (NE)
Carnell Tate
WR Ohio State
Draft Grade — Vikings
Overall B
ValueB NeedB TradesB- FutureB
The Vikings kept it disciplined and banked a B.

The tape said wait; the Vikings did not. Trey Holly went at pick No. 244, a good 62 picks before the board was ready. Nothing here to lose sleep over; call it a B.

The Vikings indulged a want in Ponds while a need in edge rusher and interior defensive lineman stayed open. They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. They banked enough surplus on Haulcy to cover a lot of smaller sins.

All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.

Pick Analysis
Pick30 Rnd1 Kenyon Sadiq
In Round 1, Pick 30 they get a matchup weapon at tight end, outstanding value to boot. A real need, handled.
Pick49 Rnd2 Sonny Styles
Sonny Styles is a better player than the 49th overall pick suggests; smart patience, rewarded. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Pick62 Rnd2 Connor Lew
Connor Lew at the Round 2 slot nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick82 Rnd3 A.J. Haulcy
Circle this one: A.J. Haulcy at pick 82 is a fall that decides a draft. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick97 Rnd3 Julian Neal
A top-tier cornerback at a bargain, Julian Neal in No. 97, plain and simple. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Pick125 Rnd4 D'Angelo Ponds
A surprising call. With edge rusher and interior defensive lineman still to address, they spent pick No. 125 on D'Angelo Ponds, a cornerback they were not short of.
Pick161 Rnd5 Iapani Laloulu
Iapani Laloulu in the 161st pick is exactly on the number, no argument either way. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick196 Rnd6 Trinidad Chambliss
Trinidad Chambliss slipping to slot 196 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick202 Rnd6 CJ Daniels
CJ Daniels in the 202nd overall pick should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick234 Rnd7 Pat Coogan
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Pat Coogan well ahead of where he belonged. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick244 Rnd7 Trey Holly
A real head-scratcher, Trey Holly in Round 7, Pick 28 is miles ahead of his ranking. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.