Could the Vikings land an elite defensive talent with their early pick? Discover Pro Football Focus's top prospect choice and the player who narrowly missed Minnesota.
The Minnesota Vikings (8-8) are cruising toward the offseason on a high note. Winners of four consecutive games with one remaining, the Vikings are set up for an optimistic offseason in Minnesota.
There are some unknowns not the least of which are the uncertainty surrounding a return of defensive coordinator Brian Flores, or the questions about how starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy will perform in a third NFL season.
To alleviate the uncertainty, the Vikings need a good draft. Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman made his pick for how the team can begin its push back to contention. He has the team drafting Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods.
Wasserman detailed his pick in the following way.
"The Vikings haven’t gotten what they were hoping for in run defense from veterans Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen in 2025. Both players are also in their early 30s, so the addition of someone like Clemson’s Peter Woods could be a smart long-term play. Woods endured a bit of a down year in 2025, but he earned PFF overall grades above 83.0 in each of his first two seasons, so the elite potential is there to be unlocked."
Woods has been historically good at defensive tackle according to Pro Football Focus' grading comparisons since its inception. Still, unless Woods ends up as disruptive as former NFL stars Warren Sapp or Aaron Donald, Minnesota fans may not be as excited about the pick as they would another selection.
One fan favorite pick, Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, fell two picks behind the Vikings to the Carolina Panthers at No. 19 in the mock draft. Wasserman shared his thoughts on Sadiq to Carolina.
"Carolina’s tight ends rank 31st in the NFL in PFF receiving grade and have produced the fourth-fewest receiving yards through Week 17. With the blocking foundation already in place, a versatile option such as Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq could add a dynamic element to the position group. Sadiq leads all FBS tight ends in touchdowns with eight while averaging an excellent 1.87 yards per route run."
Losing out on Sadiq would certainly cause a stir for some Minnesota fans. The versatile receiver is nearly as effective a blocker and a pass catcher and would provide plenty of versatility for the Vikings with salary cap decisions. Still, Woods may be as sure-fire a successful pick as the team could hope for at pick No. 17.
We'll keep an eye on more mock drafts as the offseason nears.