elroy2k'S MOCK DRAFT
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elroy2k'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON MAR 5, 2026

CLE/MIN/PIT 7 RDS

  • elroy2k DRAFTING FOR THE
    Vikings
Draft Selections
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 18 RND: 1 (MIN)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Keith Abney II Head Shot
PICK: 49 RND: 2 (MIN)
Keith Abney II
CB Arizona State
Michael Taaffe Head Shot
PICK: 83 RND: 3 (MIN)
Michael Taaffe
S Texas
Nicholas Singleton Head Shot
PICK: 97 RND: 3 (MIN)
Nicholas Singleton
RB Penn State
Jude Bowry Head Shot
PICK: 156 RND: 5 (MIN)
Jude Bowry
OT Boston College
Keagen Trost Head Shot
PICK: 161 RND: 5 (MIN)
Keagen Trost
OT Missouri
VJ Payne Head Shot
PICK: 194 RND: 6 (MIN)
VJ Payne
S Kansas State
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 234 RND: 7 (MIN)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
Jack Kelly Head Shot
PICK: 235 RND: 7 (MIN)
Jack Kelly
LB BYU
Eli Heidenreich Head Shot
PICK: 240 RND: 7 (MIN)
Eli Heidenreich
WR Navy
Draft Picks Received
Michael Taaffe Head Shot
PICK: 83 RND: 3 (CAR)
Michael Taaffe
S Texas
Jude Bowry Head Shot
PICK: 156 RND: 5 (CAR)
Jude Bowry
OT Boston College
Jack Kelly Head Shot
PICK: 235 RND: 7 (CAR)
Jack Kelly
LB BYU
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (CAR)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Malik Muhammad Head Shot
PICK: 82 RND: 3 (CAR)
Malik Muhammad
CB Texas
Draft Grade — Vikings
Overall B-
ValueB NeedB- TradesB- FutureB-
Good, not great, for the Vikings: B-.

The Vikings treated their own grade as gospel and everyone else's as noise, spending slot 235 on Jack Kelly a full 29 spots early.

They covered a lot of ground and still skipped quarterback, which is a strange place to end up. That Taaffe pick is the receipt they will wave around later.

The roster is better shaped than it was, with safety chief among the fixes.

Good work on the whole, with quarterback the one box left unchecked.

Pick Analysis
Pick18 Rnd1 Arvell Reese
In the 18th pick they get the heartbeat of the defense at a price that makes it sweeter. Need was not the driver here.
Pick49 Rnd2 Keith Abney II
Keith Abney II at No. 49 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the cornerback. A minor itch, scratched.
Pick83 Rnd3 Michael Taaffe
Michael Taaffe is a better player than pick 83 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick97 Rnd3 Nicholas Singleton
No edge and no loss on Nicholas Singleton in the 97th overall pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. The roster fit checks out.
Pick156 Rnd5 Jude Bowry
A reasonable price with a little left over, Jude Bowry in Round 5, Pick 18. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick161 Rnd5 Keagen Trost
Keagen Trost in slot 161 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick194 Rnd6 VJ Payne
They paid sticker price for VJ Payne in pick 194, and that is fine. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick234 Rnd7 Trey Zuhn III
They paid up for Trey Zuhn III at No. 234 when waiting would have done the job. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick235 Rnd7 Jack Kelly
They reached into another round for Jack Kelly, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
Pick240 Rnd7 Eli Heidenreich
Eli Heidenreich at Round 7, Pick 24 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.