Just one day remaining until the Vikings can finally make their selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Minnesota enters the draft with just four picks, so the Vikings are favorites to try to make some trades to add more selections. If they were to stick with the 24th overall pick, the most common positions they are predicted to select are safety, cornerback, offensive line, and defensive line.
One NFL analyst has the Vikings going in a completely different direction.
ESPN NFL analyst Peter Schrager wrote his debut article for the network as he shared his mock draft. Schrager made an interesting selection with the Vikings’ first-round pick as he has them taking North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton.
“The Vikings have needs elsewhere and wouldn't list running back as a clear hole on their roster. But if Hampton is on the board, he'd be a wonderful addition to a young core that the organization hopes can grow old together.”
Hampton finished the last two seasons as the ACC’s leading rusher and has scored 15 rushing touchdowns in 2023 and 2024. He’s projected as one of the top running backs in the draft after running a solid 4.46 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
This would be a puzzling move for the Vikings, especially since they already have a solid backfield in Minnesota. The Vikings re-signed Aaron Jones to a two-year, $20 million contract in the offseason. Minnesota also made a trade for Jordan Mason with the San Francisco 49ers.
Most concerns regarding the Vikings have come from the secondary that lost Cam Bynum and Stephon Gilmore to free agency. Star safety Harrison Smith did re-sign with Minnesota, but he is inching closer to retirement. The Vikings signed cornerbacks Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah to give the position depth, but a true number two cornerback with Byron Murphy Jr. is still needed.
A pick at running back would at least give their young franchise quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, a piece of offense that will be there for four to five years. The flip side is that the defense would have too many questions entering 2025. A trade down in the first round or selecting a player in the secondary still seems like the most likely outcome.
