Several NFL analysts believed the Minnesota Vikings would double down on the cornerback position this offseason by adding an impact rookie on draft weekend.
Instead, the Vikings stood pat on Day 1 and selected Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson with the 24th overall pick, and continued to build around quarterback J.J. McCarthy by adding wide receiver Tai Felton on Day 2.
Minnesota is now scheduled to enter training camp thin at two key position groups on Brian Flores’ defense: cornerback and safety.
The Vikings will try to get by in the secondary this season with unproven players like Isaiah Rodgers, Mekhi Blackmon and Jay Ward potentially playing significant roles. If Flores can make it work, the good news for Minnesota is that it’s currently projected to have nine total draft picks in 2026, including four selections inside the top 100 and three still unofficial compensatory picks:
Projected Minnesota Vikings 2026 draft capital:
- Round 1
- Round 2
- Round 3
- Round 3 (compensatory pick)
- Round 5
- Round 5 (compensatory pick)
- Round 7
- Round 7 (from HOU)
- Round 7 (compensatory pick)
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports sees GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company using some of that draft capital on a franchise cornerback. He predicts the Vikings will use their first-round pick next year on Clemson star Avieon Terrell.
“Has NFL bloodlines — his brother is former first-round pick A.J. Terrell,” Wilson wrote. “Avieon plays bigger than his listed size (see his matchup with former Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor). He can stay in phase on vertical routes and has good ball skills — he will try to bait the QB into making throws. In run support, he plays outside CB like he's a strong safety.”
Terrell flashed some playmaking ability in 2024, finishing with a pair of interceptions and three forced fumbles. Minnesota’s need for a true boundary corner is clear, as current CB1 Byron Murphy Jr. doesn’t play on an island, splitting reps inside as a slot corner, and the Vikings were barely able to fill the vacancies left by Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin this offseason.
You could make an easy argument that the Vikings should have went cornerback or safety in Round 1 of this year’s draft, but time will tell if their young players at those positions can rise to the occasion with added opportunity. Those needs will likely chase Minnesota into the 2026 offseason, though, so it will be surprising if the team doesn’t draft at least one defensive back in the first three rounds of next April’s draft.
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