Vikings send unmistakable message to these 5 players with NFL Draft choices

This past weekend, five selections were made by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2025 NFL Draft that will have a significant impact on players on the current roster.

New additions to the team will only mean more competition for the veterans. Minnesota picked up three offensive and two defensive players in the draft. The rookies will play a key role in building depth for the Vikings' active roster, but what does it mean for the current players who are fighting for playing time and a roster spot?

Here's a look at five current Vikings who got the message from the franchise about their playing time through the draft:

5 Minnesota Vikings directly affected by the 2025 NFL Draft selections

Blake Brandel - OL

Picking someone in the first round means they will get significant playing time in year one or two. Offensive lineman Blake Brandel knows that first-round pick Donovan Jackson is being brought in to challenge his spot as left guard.

Brandel started all 17 games last year at left guard for the Vikings. His starts were not strong as he led the offensive linemen on the team in penalties with six false starts, and PFF graded him as the 99th best overall guard in the NFL with 55.2.

Jackson joins at the right time as he will most likely take over the left guard position, but Brandel has been put on notice to step up his performance. His 2024 season struggles have led to him having tough competition at left guard.

Josh Oliver - TE

With T.J. Hockenson's injury history, Josh Oliver has seen the field more often over the last two years, as he has started in 26 games. Oliver has been a solid contributor on the team, but he hasn't been the difference maker to match the level Hockenson plays at.

In 15 games with 12 starts, Oliver caught 22 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, which matched or were career-highs. He also high career-highs in yards per reception (11.7) and success rate on receptions to targets (67.9 percent).

It's a contract year for Oliver with only one more year remaining from his three-year deal he signed with the Vikings in 2023. Minnesota selected Pittsburgh's Gavin Bartholomew in the sixth round, which could be enough to challenge Oliver to prove his worth over a rookie tight end with a smaller contract.

Jalen Nailor - WR

Statistically, Jalen Nailor had the best season of his career, but after three years on the roster, the pressure is on the young man to step up. Nailor was thrust into the number three receiver role with mixed results.

He finished the 2024 season with 28 receptions for 414 yards and six touchdowns in all 17 regular-season games. Some key stats that hurt him were that he led all Vikings wide receivers in drops with four and averaged just 3.8 yards after catch per reception.

Tai Felton is being brought in as a guy who proved at Maryland to handle a bigger workload and be a separator at receiver. Nailor knows he has competition now and will need to fend off Felton for playing time after getting the number three receiver role just a season ago.

Brian Asamoah - LB

Minnesota selected Brian Asamoah in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the aspiration that he would eventually develop into a rotational linebacker. That hasn't been the case, for the most part.

Asamoah's best season came in his rookie year, when he made 17 tackles. He has since combined 13 tackles in 30 games between 2023 and 2024.

The Vikings picked up Penn State's Kobe King in the fifth round to specifically challenge Asamoah for the back linebackers job. It's a make-or-break training camp for Asamoah to step up, or he might become a training camp-cut casualty.

Levi Drake Rodriguez - DL

It might be too soon to start challenging Levi Drake Rodriguez since he is entering just his second year in the NFL, but the former seventh-round pick is looking to get into the rotation on the defensive line. He did not play much last year as he played just six defensive snaps and 11 special teams snaps in two games.

The Vikings saw many changes on the defensive line, with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave signing to be starters. Minnesota needed more depth on the line, so the team selected speedy defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins out of Georgia.