The Latest Three-Round Mock Draft Leaves Vikings with Solid Haul

The day after the Super Bowl kicked off the 2026 offseason fully, with the NFL Combine two weeks away and the legal tampering period for free agents a month away. Mock drafts are flying, and the Vikings have many needs to fill in the draft. 

Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic has released his latest three-round mock draft for the NFL. Secondary is the primary focus for Minnesota in this mock draft. 

The Vikings need back-end help, potentially at both corner and safety. Delane is one of the most competitive on-ball coverage players in this class and was among the most disruptive man-coverage corners in the country the past two seasons.

Analysis: Delane has been linked to the Vikings multiple times in mock drafts and will strengthen the secondary and give Brian Flores another toy at his disposal. 

Minnesota adds another secondary member. Daniel Harms of Bleacher Report has a good feeling about McNeil-Warren with a pro comparison of safety Justin Reid.

Strengths

— A willing and effective run supporting safety who can set the tone with big hits.

— McNeil-Warren plays with sound tackling technique and attacks the football with regularity.

— Zone eyes show up in identifying route concepts underneath and matching that with quarterback eyes.

— Can man-up on tight ends and athletically stay with them in routes. Throwing off the timing and not backing down to bigger receivers gives him versatility.

— He is always around the football and uses his instincts to sniff out underneath plays.

Areas of Improvement

— Learn to better use his length to take on blocks in the run game. Extending and peaking to locate the football will give him more impact.

— Recovery top-end speed is limited, and his backpedal can be choppy, contributing to recovery time.

— Impact as a true single high defender will be determined on continued growth of instincts.

Aaron Jones is likely on the move, and that would leave only Jordan Mason to handle the Vikings' backfield. Minnesota could bring in someone like Breece Hall, but adding a capable back in the draft for the cheap might be more efficient. 

Damian Parson of Bleacher Report has a pro comp of Vikings legend Latavius Murray. 

Where He Wins

- Washington Jr. has a muscle-bound frame equipped to absorb the physicality that comes with playing running back.

- He has a downhill punishing running style. He runs with aggression and wants to impose his will on closing defenders in space. He runs behind his pad with a strong forward lean, then falls forward after contact.

- The Razorbacks' leading rusher hits open lanes with decisiveness and quickness to maximize the blocking from his offensive line. Getting downhill with momentum allows him to put pressure on the defense to match his physicality.

- Washington Jr.'s stop/start ability freezes defenders and will throw them off balance. He is surprisingly agile for his size. He deploys quick jump cuts at or behind the line of scrimmage to negotiate quick backfield penetration.

- He plays with good acceleration through rushing lanes and reaches top speed quickly. Washington Jr. can outrun defenders once he's in the open field.

Areas of Improvement 

- Washington Jr.'s physical play style has led to ball security issues. Over his career, he has ten fumbles. Prioritizing the protection of the football at the POA will be paramount to staying on the field.

- As a result of his muscle-bound frame, there is some rotational hip stiffness that limits sudden movement changes. Issues are running wide zone where he is expected to attack the perimeter and cut upfield with suddenness.

- His pass protection technique is unrefined. He plays with the necessary power in pass pro, but lacks the technique. Washington Jr. tends to bend at the waist and lunge forward to make contact. If he learns to shoot with his hands and anchor with balance, it will increase his argument for playing time.

- Arkansas's leading rusher is a functional receiver out of the backfield, but he does not have a wide route tree.