The major pre-draft milestone that is the NFL Scouting Combine is in the rearview, and pro day workouts at college campuses are out the windshield for scouting departments.
The Vikings and other teams will have scouts visiting campuses from coast to coast to continue the evaluation of draft-eligible players in the coming weeks.
On the heels of the combine — but just ahead of free agency opening next week! — we have surveyed the web for thoughts on what Minnesota might do at pick No. 24.
It turns out there is some groupthink occurring, as well as a wide scattering of individual thoughts.
Sixteen different players are mentioned in the 21 first-round projections below. Only Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron (five projections) and Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon (two) are predicted by more than one forecaster to wind up with the Vikings.
Mocks are likely to shift quite a bit again based on what happens across the league in free agency, so we'll do another round in a couple more weeks, but for now, here's what draftniks are saying.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic
March 4
Brugler projects at No. 24: Kelvin Banks, Jr., T/G, Texas
The projection of Banks moving to guard was never about size, it was more about his play style. He has the tools to stay outside, but several teams see his best long-term position inside, which fits what the Vikings could be looking for with this pick.
Alec Lewis of The Athletic
March 6
Lewis projects at No. 31 (after trading No. 24 to Kansas City): Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
Alexander may not be as heralded as Michigan's Kenneth Grant or Oregon's Derrick Harmon. Still, he's less bulky and more versatile, which aligns with how Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores wants to play. Alexander, measured at 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, produced one of the best pass-rush win rates in college football last season. His tape shows explosion, violence and effective hand usage.
Alexander is likely to be available late in the first round. Targeting him allows us to trade back with the Kansas City Chiefs, a team typically willing to move around. Dropping seven spots opened the door to two more picks: a late second-rounder and a sixth-rounder. General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has traded back before, and the Vikings could be set up for this strategy once again.
Lewis projects in Round 2 (pick obtained from aforementioned trade): Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
The primary reason I wanted to trade down was to ensure the Vikings could snag one of the elite running backs. North Carolina's Omarion Hampton will be tempting in the first round if he's still on the board. Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson has game-breaking skills as well, but he, too, might be gone too early.
Johnson offers a blend of size (6-foot-1, 224 pounds), vision and three-down ability. He may not possess the smoothness of Hampton or the speed of Henderson, but he's more capable of being a bellcow than many of the prospects projected to go in the middle rounds.
Lewis projects in Round 3 (selection anticipated being awarded through NFL's compensatory pick formula): Jared Wilson, C, Georgia
I had three goals in this mock draft: find a game-affecting interior defender, find a running back of the future and supplement the interior of the offensive line (with an eye on the future). That last point is where Wilson comes in.
[Center Garrett] Bradbury is under contract through 2025, so Minnesota's future at the position is uncertain. Wilson is not the biggest option, but he wowed in Indianapolis with his athletic traits. He ranked as the No. 2 center since 1987 in RAS score, which is intended to reflect a player's overall athleticism.
It's worth asking whether Wilson will fall to the third round. Dane Brugler, The Athletic's draft expert, listed Wilson at No. 83 on his most recent top-100 list. If he falls and the Vikings find themselves in the third round without having already added an interior offensive lineman, he would make sense.
Lewis projects in Round 5 (two current selections): Omarr Norman-Lott, DT, Tennessee and Zy Alexander, CB, LSU
Lewis projects in Round 6 (pick obtained from aforementioned trade): Ricky White III, WR, UNLV
Charles Davis of NFL.com
March 4
Davis projects at No. 24: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
The Vikings will have to stop some high-powered rushing attacks in the NFC North if they're going to compete for the division title again. Harmon can help Minnesota control the line of scrimmage.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com
March 3
Zierlein projects at No. 27 (after sending No. 24 to the Ravens): Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
The Vikings will have to stop some high-powered rushing attacks in the NFC North if they're going to compete for the division title again. Harmon can help Minnesota control the line of scrimmage.
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com
Feb. 25
Brooks projects at No. 24: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Facing a ton of attrition in the secondary this offseason, Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores needs high-IQ corners to keep opponents guessing while facing the Vikings chaotic scheme. Barron's versatility, instincts and awareness could help him thrive as a nickel/outside corner in purple.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports
March 4
Trapasso projects at No. 24: Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
Jackson's size and movement skills make him an ideal fit for the Vikings stretch-run based offense.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports
March 4
Wilson projects at No. 24: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Put aside for the moment that Starks is an elite athlete who can line up anywhere in the secondary — he's also one of the smartest players on the field who was a team leader from the moment he stepped on campus in Athens.
Nate Tice & Charles McDonald of Yahoo!
March 5
Tice & McDonald project at No. 24: Shavon Revel, Jr., CB, East Carolina
Revel didn't work out in Indianapolis as he puts the final touches on his ACL recovery, but he measured well, and 6-foot-1 cornerbacks with long arms, big hands and his type of athleticism don't come around very often. He's a great chess piece for Brian Flores' defense.
Ben Arthur of FOX Sports
March 5
Arthur projects at No. 24: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
The Vikings have four cornerbacks slated to hit free agency, including three starters (Stephon Gilmore, Shaq Griffin, slot Byron Murphy, Jr.). Addressing the spot is a must, and Barron is the best corner left on the board. He tied for fourth in the FBS last season with five interceptions and would bring versatility to Minnesota's secondary as well. He played more than 100 snaps in the slot and the box last season, on top of nearly 700 snaps at outside cornerback.
Justin Melo of The Draft Network
March 2
Arthur projects at No. 24: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Campbell established himself as a first-round selection at the NFL Combine. Campbell is an elite athlete with easy movement skills. His ability to defend the run, rush the passer, and play in coverage would be maximized in Brian Flores' defense.
Pro Football Network Staff
March 4
Staff projects at No. 24: Trey Amos, CB, Mississippi
Amos is an excellent cover corner with very good athleticism and length. He excels in both man and zone principles and has very good ball skills. … His physicality and aggressive play style would be welcomed by Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores.
Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News
March 3
Iyer projects at No. 24: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
The Vikings need a versatile safety/corner hybrid to handle all kinds of coverage in Brian Flores' scheme. Barron continued his meteoric rise as a top secondary prospect at the NFL Combine to keep pushing up his stock.
Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus
March 3
Sikkema projects at No. 24: Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
The Vikings don't have many picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. … So, they would have to really love a prospect here to not trade back.
Zabel could be one of those guys. He tested like a good athlete at the combine, especially for a player transitioning to guard or center, and has the movement skills, core strength and footwork for the Vikings zone blocking scheme.
Ian Valentino of The 33rd Team
March 5
Valentino projects at No. 24: Azareye'h Thomas, CB, Florida State
Thomas only took part in position drills and the broad jump, but he walked away a winner to emerge as a viable option in this range.
Standing 6-foot-2 and proving to be fluid enough to handle fast-breaking routes in drill work, Thomas will be coveted. Brian Flores is the best in the NFL at getting the most out of players with one especially strong skill and then mitigating their weaknesses.
Curt Popejoy of Draft Wire
March 3
Popejoy projects at No. 24: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
Hampton is steadily climbing draft boards and the gap between [Ashton] Jeanty and Hampton is shrinking.
Thor Nystrom of Fantasy Life
March 5
Nystrom projects at No. 31 (after a trade with Kansas City): Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
*Projected trade with Kansas City: Vikings trade pick 1.24 to the Chiefs for picks 1.31, 3.95, and 4.131.
The Vikings need multiple new starters along the defensive line and at cornerback. The Vikings also desperately need a new starting RG, but my assumption is that need gets addressed in free agency.
Following the trade-down with the Chiefs — which would increase Minnesota's total pick allotment to six — Harmon is the best available player at the Vikings bucket of needs.
The 6-foot-4, 313-pound Harmon made the Round 1 leap in 2024. He comfortably led all FBS interior defensive linemen in hurries with 39. Harmon has very good length, and he's a strong athlete at his size, posting a 4.95 [in the 40] with a 1.74 10-yard split at the NFL Combine.
Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston
March 4
Perry projects at No. 24: Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
Never a bad idea to solidify the interior of the offensive line when looking for answers there. The Vikings will be forced to do exactly that after finishing the season unable to keep Sam Darnold clean.
Kyle Dvorchak of NBC Sports
March 4
Dvorchak projects at No. 24: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Barron ran a 4.39 in the 40 en route to a 9.0 RAS. He was a career nickel corner before 2024 when he successfully transitioned to an outside role and could fill a variety of roles for a Minnesota defense with cornerbacks Byron Murphy, Jr., Stephon Gilmore, and Shaq Griffin all on expiring deals.
Sam Russell of Bleacher Nation
March 5
Molitor projects at No. 24: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
The Vikings need talent in their cornerbacks room, and Benjamin Morrison would be a nice addition. He is physical and tough in press coverage. Morrison also tracks the ball well in zone coverage. Minnesota could be looking to address its interior defensive line during free agency, which frees the Vikings up to add talent at corner in Round 1.
Luke Easterling of Athlon Sports
March 2
Easterling projects at No. 24: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Even if he comes back for another year, the Vikings need a successor for Harrison Smith, and Emmanwori's elite athleticism and impressive film makes a strong case.
Jordan Reid of ESPN
March 4
Reid projects at No. 24: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
The Vikings are expected to be active in free agency, especially at defensive tackle. With a league-low three draft picks, circle Minnesota as a team that could trade back to recoup more draft capital. If the Vikings add an interior defender in free agency, guard and cornerback immediately become their biggest needs.
With all three of their starting corners (Byron Murphy, Jr., Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin) pending free agents, Barron would project as an immediate starter. There isn't a secondary position that Barron hasn't played, too. He had a career-high five interceptions this past season, showing excellent ball skills and coverage instincts. Barron could have an instant impact in the slot or on the outside.
