Inside The Vikings

Minnesota Vikings seven-round mock draft: Trading back in first round

In this mock draft, the Vikings trade back and still land a standout offensive lineman at the end of the first round.

Will Ragatz

Jan 30, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team offensive lineman Grey Zabel of North Dakota State (77) and National team offensive lineman Caleb Rogers of Texas Tech (76) battle with National team defensive lineman Ty Robinson of Nebraska (94) during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Jan 30, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team offensive lineman Grey Zabel of North Dakota State (77) and National team offensive lineman Caleb Rogers of Texas Tech (76) battle with National team defensive lineman Ty Robinson of Nebraska (94) during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
In this story:

It's officially NFL draft month. In three weeks, we're going to find out the answer to a fascinating question facing GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings: Stay put or trade back?

The Vikings have just four selections in this draft, so trading back to accumulate additional picks will be tempting. But they also won't want to trade back just for the sake of trading back. There will have to be a compelling offer from a team looking to move up, combined with the belief that a player the Vikings really like will be on the board when they make their first pick. If either of those conditions aren't met, sticking at No. 24 and making a pick might be the decision.

In this draft simulation, we went with a move back of just six spots. We traded No. 24 to the Bills for picks 30, 109, 169, and 206, which is fair value on the trade chart. In doing so, we nearly doubled our number of selections while still landing a great player late in the first round. Let's dive into the picks:

Round 1, Pick 30: Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State

Zabel feels like a pretty perfect target for the Vikings after everything they accomplished in free agency. There would be a clear path for him to start at left guard right away and address one of Minnesota's lingering question marks, provided he can beat out Blake Brandel in training camp. And because Zabel is capable of playing all five positions on the offensive line, his versatility would add depth across the board. He could play either tackle spot in a pinch (those were his two main positions in college), and he'd be a candidate to take over for Ryan Kelly at center in a couple years.

After a standout career at NDSU, Zabel has made a strong case for himself as a first-round pick with his performance at the Senior Bowl and the NFL combine. He's an excellent athlete who has room to add a bit of weight to his 6'6", 312-pound frame, and he projects as a run-blocking weapon who can hold up against powerful interior pass rushers. Adding Zabel would round out a potentially elite Vikings offensive line. There's no guarantee he's on the board at 30 (or even 24), but if things play out like this, it would be excellent value for Minnesota.

Round 3, Pick 97: Lathan Ransom, S, Ohio State

Safety is a very logical position for the Vikings to target with one of their first few picks in this draft, considering 2025 could be Harrison Smith's final year and Theo Jackson still has to prove himself in a major role. Ransom is an explosive athlete at 6-foot, 205 pounds. He's an imperfect coverage player, but he's a major weapon coming downhill as a run defender and blitzer. Over the last four years, Ransom recorded 18 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, three interceptions, and 13 passes defended. He can be a sub-package player and special teams standout as a rookie, then potentially take over for Smith in 2026. He turns 23 this summer and has a ton of experience.

Round 4, Pick 109: Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas

We're stacking defensive backs in this range by taking an exciting cornerback to begin Day 3. Bryant is thin (he's 180 pounds, up from 170 in college) and ran a 4.53, but he's a playmaker. Across his Kansas career, he had 13 interceptions and 11 tackles for loss. He also scored three defensive touchdowns. Bryant can play press coverage on the outside, he's got great ball skills, and there's a tenacity to his game that's hard not to love.

Round 5, Pick 139: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Arizona

Even with Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, and Ty Chandler on the roster, it would make sense for the Vikings to consider adding another running back at some point on Day 3. Croskey-Merritt is a guy they've reportedly hosted for a visit. He only played in one game at Arizona last year due to eligibility issues, but he ran for nearly 1,200 yards and scored 18 total touchdowns at New Mexico in 2023. He ran a 4.45 with elite jumps at his pro day, and he has outstanding feet when setting up blocks and avoiding defenders.

Round 5, Pick 169: Thomas Fidone II, Nebraska

The Vikings currently have just two tight ends (T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver) on their roster, so they need some depth at that position. Fidone is a big-time athlete who shined at the combine. He had just 61 catches for 633 yards over the last two seasons, but his tools give him some intriguing receiving upside. Blocking is a bit of a question mark due to his thin frame (6'5", 243).

Round 6, Pick 187: Dont'e Thornton Jr., WR, Tennessee

Our third straight selection on the offensive side of the ball is Thornton, who is a fun dart throw at receiver at this point of the draft. He has a rare combination of size and speed; he ran a 4.3 flat at the combine at 6'5", 205 pounds. Last season, he caught 26 passes for 661 yards and 6 touchdowns, leading the entire country with 25.4 yards per reception. Thornton had just 65 total catches in college and he's pretty unrefined with his releases and route-running, but those are things someone like Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell can attempt to teach. Size and speed can't be taught. Thornton could be a Jalen Nailor replacement in 2026 and beyond.

Round 6, Pick 206: Cam Jackson, DT, Florida

Jackson is a very large human being. At 6'6", he weighed in at 328 pounds at the combine, which is down a bit from where he was last fall. He's got some quickness for his size and a ton of power, which was on display at the Senior Bowl earlier this year. Jackson would give the Vikings some young depth at defensive tackle, with the potential to develop into a contributor in the coming years.

A Vikings seven-round mock draft that starts with a trade down to accumulate picks.
A Vikings seven-round mock draft that starts with a trade down to accumulate picks. / PFF.com's mock draft simulator

Recommended articles

Published
Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

Home/News