EAGAN, Minn. — After going 13-4 overall in the regular season and falling to the Giants Sunday in the Wild Card Round, the Vikings are now turning their attention toward the 2023 NFL Draft.
Minnesota currently has the 24th pick, but it will be the 23rd overall selection due to Miami having to forfeit its first-round pick this year and a third-rounder in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Dolphins engaged in "impermissible communications" with Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady in 2019-20 while he was with New England and after the 2021 season while he was with the Buccaneers.
The Vikings have drafted at No. 23 overall four times in franchise history, most recently selecting left tackle Christian Darrisaw in 2021. Minnesota has also drafted wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (2016), defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (2013) and receiver Lance Rentzel (1965).
Minnesota currently has four overall picks in this year's draft.
The 2023 NFL Draft will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 27-29. The first round will be on April 27 while the second and third rounds will be on April 28. The final four rounds will conclude this year's draft on April 29.
Here is the opening version of our Vikings 2023 Mock Draft Tracker, which features 16 recent predictions from around the world of football. (Note: Only mock drafts that were published after the 2022 regular season were included, but some were published before Minnesota's draft position was set).
Cornerback was the most popular position, as it was chosen eight times, followed by wide receiver three times. Eight total positions were represented by draft experts.
Take a look at our first Vikings 2023 Mock Draft Tracker:
Dane Brugler of The Athletic
Jan. 17, 2023
The predicted pick: Deonte Banks, Cornerback, Maryland
Brugler's take: "Between now and the draft, I'm sure we will hear plenty of quarterback talk surrounding the Vikings. But they also need help on defense, obviously, including in the secondary. A cover-and-clobber corner, Deonte Banks has rangy speed and ball skills. Several NFL teams have second-round grades on the Maryland corner, but others believe he can crack the first round."
Click here for Brugler's full mock draft.
Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus
Jan. 9, 2023
The predicted pick (note: Renner's mock draft was before Minnesota's draft spot was determined): Tanner McKee, Quarterback, Stanford
Renner's take: "General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is tied to Kirk Cousins for only one more season, and the Vikings roster is too good to where they won't be getting the pick of the litter in a draft anytime soon. That could mean taking advantage of a deep quarterback class to start a year early on developing Cousins' successor. McKee is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the draft class but was put in a lot of unwinnable situations on tape at Stanford."
Click here for Renner's full mock draft.
Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News
Jan. 17, 2023
The predicted pick: Joey Porter, Jr., Cornerback, Penn State
Iyer's take: "The Vikings need to give Cam Dantzler better help on the back end with Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan heading into free agency. They could use some of Porter's size, speed and physicality to make more plays on the ball in coverage."
Click here for Iyer's full mock draft.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports
Jan. 16, 2023
The predicted pick: Brian Branch, Cornerback, Alabama
Wilson's take: "Branch isn't the first name you hear about when the conversation turns to Alabama's defense, but maybe he should be. He's a sure tackler, can blitz off the edge, and is solid in coverage, and if Nick Saban trusts him, that's all you need to know about his NFL prospects."
Click here for Wilson's full mock draft.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports
Jan. 11, 2023
The predicted pick: BJ Ojulari, Edge Rusher, LSU
Trapasso's take: "The Vikings add youth to the outside pass-rushing group with the feisty and athletic Ojulari."
Click here for Trapasso's full mock draft.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports
Jan. 12, 2023
The predicted pick: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
Edwards' take: "Minnesota adds Smith-Njigba to pair with Justin Jefferson. Adam Thielen finished top 50 in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, so there is plenty left in the tank, but Smith-Njigba gives the Vikings a big-time No. 3 who can develop into that secondary role when Thielen moves on."
Click here for Edwards' full mock draft.
Kyle Stackpole of CBS Sports
Jan. 13, 2023
The predicted pick: Devon Witherspoon, Cornerback, Illinois
Stackpole's take: "Witherspoon, coming from one of the best defenses in all of college football, will bring a tenacity and physicality that Minnesota could use in the secondary, especially with Patrick Peterson set to become a free agent."
Click here for Stackpole's full mock draft.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY Sports
Jan. 11, 2023
The predicted pick: Jaylon Jones, Cornerback, Texas A&M
Middlehurst-Schartz's take: "Having ranked 31st in pass defense (265.6 yards allowed per game) and with cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan set to become free agents, the Vikings secondary looks ripe for change. The 6-2, 205-pound Jones sizes up as a smart fit for Minnesota's zone-heavy scheme."
Click here for Middlehurst-Schwartz's full mock draft.
Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network
Jan. 16, 2023
The predicted pick: Jordan Addison, Wide Receiver, USC
Sanchez's take: "We all know that Justin Jefferson is one of the best receivers in the NFL, but in order for this Vikings offense to operate at its best, [Minnesota needs] someone else who is a threat to take over a game. Addison is exactly that type of player. Addison has positional versatility with the ability to line up in the slot and on the outside and would be a nightmare to gameplan for with Jefferson. Addison falling to the Vikings in this NFL mock draft is the perfect match."
Click here for Sanchez's full mock draft.
Jaime Eisner of The Draft Network
Jan. 11, 2023
The predicted pick: Devon Witherspoon, Cornerback, Illinois
Eisner's take: "Patrick Peterson's contract voids after this season, but the Vikings need more reinforcements in the CB room regardless. Witherspoon is a momentum-flipper with his ability to get his hands on the ball. Outside of his ball skills, versatility may be his best trait. I believe Witherspoon can play outside or as the nickel and have success in both man and zone coverages."
Click here for Eisner's full mock draft.
Oliver Hodgkinson of Pro Football Network
Jan. 12, 2023
The predicted pick: Siaki Ika, Defensive Tackle, Baylor
Hodgkinson's take: "Za'Darius Smith was a valuable addition to the Minnesota Vikings, forming a deadly pass-rush partnership with Danielle Hunter. But, what if we told you there was a way for the duo to become even more deadly? Siaki Ika is a gargantuan nose tackle who eats double teams for fun, allowing his teammates to thrive around him. And with a jaw-dropping athletic profile for a 6'4", 358-pound behemoth, the Baylor prospect is a backfield threat himself while providing a roadblock against the run."
Click here for Hodgkinson's full mock draft.
James Fragoza of Pro Football Network
Jan. 9, 2023
The predicted pick: Clark Phillips III, Cornerback, Utah
Fragoza's take: "The Vikings have struggled with their early-round corners, so it's time to switch up the formula. Straying away from their typical mold of long DBs,Clark Phillips III brings man-matching twitch and stellar instincts. His size (5-foot-10, 183 pounds) limits his ceiling, but even if Minnesota doesn't feel comfortable leaving him on an island outside, he can be an elite option from the slot — a position more valuable than ever."
Click here for Fragoza's full mock draft.
Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network
Jan. 17, 2023
The predicted pick: Cody Mauch, Offensive Line, North Dakota State
Cummings' take: "Disappointing finish aside, the Vikings showed promise in Year 1 under Kevin O'Connell. But if they're going to ride out the rest of the way with Kirk Cousins at QB, the interior offensive line has to be impenetrable. That means no settling at offensive guard. In Cody Mauch, they can get a mauler in the run game, with the strength to dominate in pass pro."
Click here for Cummings' full mock draft.
Charles McDonald of Yahoo! Sports
Jan. 11, 2023
The predicted pick: Mazi Smith, Defensive Line, Michigan
McDonald's take: Smith might not be in many first-round mocks right now, but he's a supreme athlete for his size and should fly up boards following the scouting combine. Smith made Bruce Feldman’s freak list prior to the season and looks to be the next freak athlete Michigan puts into the NFL from its defensive line.
Click here for McDonald's full mock draft.
Bryan Fischer of Athlon Sports
Jan. 17, 2023
The predicted pick: Antonio Johnson, Defensive Back, Texas A&M
Fischer's take: "The franchise has spent the last several years looking for a solution at corner, and Johnson's size and length could help him be a perfect addition to a secondary that needs plenty of help."
Click here for Fischer's full mock draft.
Luke Easterling of Draft Wire
Jan. 12, 2023
The predicted pick: Rashee Rice, Wide Receiver, SMU
Easterling's take: "Adam Thielen isn't getting any younger, and the Vikings should find a younger understudy to eventually take over as Justin Jefferson's running mate at receiver. Rice has the size/speed combo that would make him a perfect complement to Jefferson."
Click here for Easterling's full mock draft.
