Are teams undervaluing the running back position again? The Vikings cannot pass on a top-three talent in this year's draft. Head coach Kevin O'Connell will find plenty of plays for him.

The Vikings have enough positional needs to approach this pick from a best-available perspective. Woods is a fascinating prospect. Brugler ranked him as the No. 1 draftable prospect entering the 2025 season. The interior defender had been dominant the previous two seasons. Then, in 2025, his production dipped. Woods recorded only three sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. Clemson's defense struggled in its entirety. Questions persist regarding his overall length, but the athleticism is undeniable. Woods moves laterally like a much smaller player than one who is 6-3, 310 pounds. His hands are violent. Plug him into the Vikings' defensive system alongside Jalen Redmond, and it's difficult not to envision some serious havoc.

Projected trade: The Vikings need help on the interior of their offensive line, and Olaivavega Ioane is the lone guard in this class I view as a first-round player. So Minnesota moves up to get him and makes sure Detroit can't.

Save for the Kyler Murray veteran minimum signing, the Vikings didn't do a lot in free agency. The biggest changes might have been releasing Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen on the interior of the defensive line in cap-saving measures. Jalen Redmond had a six-sack campaign in 2025, but defensive tackle was definitely an issue coming into the draft.

Caleb Banks is a good player. He can wreak havoc on opposing linemen and has legit burst to affect the quarterback in the pocket as an interior pass rusher (4.5 sacks in 2024). He's at his best as a run stuffer, closing gaps with his 6-foot-6, 327-pound frame, and he brings scheme versatility to the table. But his left foot has been a major problem.

He broke it early last season and was limited to three games. Then he broke it again at the combine, requiring surgery and putting him on the sideline until at least June. That was enough to push him down the Big Board a little bit. I had him ranked 62nd, so taking him at No. 18 was too rich. I was mostly surprised Minnesota passed on safety Dillon Thieneman, but even among the defensive tackles, I had four guys ranked higher, starting with Peter Woods and Kayden McDonald.

Minnesota did take a safety in Jakobe Thomas late in Round 3, and he can create takeaways, with five INTs in 2025. It doubled up on defensive tackle with Domonique Orange and picked up linebacker depth with Jake Golday. But my favorite pick of Day 2 was Caleb Tiernan. I had him ranked 47 spots higher than his draft slot, and he is a massive 6-foot-8, 323-pounder with a ton of experience (44 starts, mostly at left tackle).

The Vikings made four picks on Day 3, and my favorite of the bunch is Charles Demmings. He ran a 4.41 in the 40 at the combine, and with nine interceptions and 35 passes defensed in college, he's a ball hawk. But overall, Minnesota just didn't do enough to move the needle.

They're in a weird spot, especially with a substitute teacher in the GM's chair — which isn't intended as a shot at Rob Brzezinski. And this draft almost surely will be more productive than ousted predecessor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's hauls. Yet first-round DT Caleb Banks might have felt like something of a reach under optimal circumstances, but the broken left foot he suffered at the combine — which is a recurring injury for a very big man — is quite a red flag for a player taken 18th overall. Third-round S Jakobe Thomas could be this year's most impactful rookie if S Harrison Smith doesn't return. Yet it feels like Minnesota might not get a ton out of this class in 2026, even as the Vikes vie to get back in the thick of the NFC North race in what might be QB Kyler Murray's only year in the great white north.