Minnesota Vikings NFL Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

Interesting fact: None of Penn State's 43 first-round picks in school history have been defensive backs. Not only does he buck the school's DB draft history, but Harris is in the mix to challenge Jermod McCoy for the right to be this class's CB1 due to his length, speed and coverage abilities.

Perkins is a staple in way-too-early mock drafts at this point. Unfortunately, he is now coming off a substantial injury, but from an athletic standpoint, few stack up as well as Perkins. LSU has deployed him in a variety of ways, but he should be listed as a playmaker.

The Vikings have plenty of questions at corner, save for recently extended Byron Murphy Jr. They didn't select one this year, so it could be the position they target immediately in 2026. Harris thrived in his first season at Penn State after transferring from Georgia, showing easy vertical speed and change-of-direction ability. He attaches in man coverage but also shows comfort in zone. Scouts just want to see more ball production, as he had only one interception in 2024.

The Vikings were widely assumed to be taking a defensive tackle in the 2025 first round, but opted to give their new starting quarterback, JJ McCarthy, a plug-and-play starting guard in Donovan Jackson. Faulk is listed at a massive 6-6. 288 pounds and has the ability to set a hard edge or create interior pressure from the three tech.

After his old partner Nick Emmanwori was drafted by Seattle last week, it will be up to Kilgore to take over as one of the leaders of the South Carolina secondary in 2025. He's long-armed and rangy, but isn't opposed to stepping up to make tackles in the run game, either. Kilgore led the SEC in picks last season and could be a potential option for the Vikings as they keep looking for answers on the back end.

After earning Freshman All-SEC honors in 2023, Kilgore tied for the SEC lead in interceptions (five) with Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba in 2024. Another productive season will punch his ticket for next April's early rounds.

Scouts can check a lot of boxes with Styles, an NFL legacy who began his college career at safety before emerging at linebacker during the Buckeyes' championship run a year ago. As his experience in the secondary suggests, Styles is a top-notch athlete, but it's his disruptive play nearer the line of scrimmage against Texas in the Cotton Bowl (three tackles for loss, including a sack) that will have scouts most intrigued.

The 6-5, 337-pound nose tackle sat out the 2023 season after transferring from Miami, but he didn't take long to establish himself as a massive disruptor on the interior. With his ability to command double teams and collapse pockets, Jackson could be a force multiplier on Brian Flores' defense — so long as the coordinator is still around in 2026 after receiving head-coaching consideration this past cycle.