Mock drafts now have the benefit of early free agency hindsight.
Prognosticators have been able to see the series of moves across the league that have resulted in roster makeovers.
Additions and vacancies can be compared, affecting projections as teams generally pause the addition of available veterans to turn their focus to draft-eligible players.
And it's good timing, too, now that we're less than a month away from the 2025 NFL Draft, where the Vikings are scheduled to select at No. 24. Minnesota currently has the following four selections:
Round 1, 24th overall
Round 3, 97th overall (awarded as a compensatory selection for Kirk Cousins' departure during 2024 free agency)
Round 5, 139th overall (selection from the Browns)
Round 6, 187th overall (selection acquired from 49ers with RB Jordan Mason for No. 160 overall and a 2026 sixth-round pick)
Version 5.0 includes 27 predictions that offer evaluations of nine different prospects (including two suggestions that involve Minnesota trading entirely out of the first round without suggesting the player the Vikings would choose in the second round, but I'm adding to illustrate the range of what a couple suggest the pick might fetch).
A whopping 21 of the remaining 25 predict the Vikings will add to their secondary.
South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori was mentioned the most, appearing in nine mock drafts that have been published since Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron led the way with five of the 21 forecasts in Version 4.0. Barron is mentioned three times in what follows, which is two shy of five Minnesota mentions in Version 5.0 for Georgia safety Malaki Starks.
Here's the latest roundup.
Ben Standig of The Athletic
March 24
Standig projects at No. 34 (after trading No. 24 to the Giants): Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
Note: Standig had the Vikings sending their first-round pick to the Giants in return for No. 34, 99, 219 and a 2026 third-rounder.
The Vikings (four picks before moving back) should be the team most aggressively looking for a trade-down. They miss out on [Grey] Zabel yet still draft arguably the best interior offensive lineman. Booker, a two-year starter for the Crimson Tide, was frequently projected among the top 15 before a rough combine.
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports
March 24
Prisco projects at No. 24: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
They lost Cam Bynum in free agency, and Harrison Smith is likely in his last year. Emmanwori can do a lot of things and would fit perfectly into the Brian Flores defense.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports
March 19
Trapasso projects at No. 24: No pick after a trade with Raiders
Note: Trapasso has the Vikings trading this pick and receiving Nos. 37, 68 and 215. He did not project what the Vikings would do at No. 37.
Kyle Stackpole of CBS Sports
March 17
Stackpole projects at No. 24: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
The Vikings had a lot of money to spend and spent it well, allowing them to subscribe to a best-player-available approach come draft day. Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores could use the ultra-explosive Nick Emmanwori as a chess piece to take his unit to the next level.
Nate Tice & Charles McDonald of Yahoo!
March 24
Tice & McDonald project at No. 24: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
The Vikings have done a good job adding talent up front to their defense, but they could still use an upgrade at slot corner. Barron is built to be an NFL slot defender and would form a nice tandem with the recently re-signed Byron Murphy, Jr.
Connor Rogers of Yahoo!
March 24
Note: Rogers grouped his forecast by teams, going through the third round for each squad.
Rogers projects at No. 24: Shavon Revel, Jr., CB, East Carolina
Rogers projects at No. 97: CJ West, DL, Indiana
If not for a torn ACL in September, I thought Revel was on a trajectory to be a top 15 pick. He's a premium athlete with size, length and ball skills. He also plays with a different edge against the run than a lot of the other corners in this class. West is a great story as a Kent State transfer who played a huge role for that feisty Indiana defense this season. He's built like a T-Rex and battles in the trenches as hard as anyone with athleticism to disrupt the backfield, but also brute force with his hands.
Rob Rang of FOX Sports
March 24
Rang projects at No. 31 (after trading No. 24 to Kansas City): Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Note: Rang did not specify trade compensation.
With the Vikings currently possessing an NFL-low four draft picks, expect GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to be actively searching for trade-down opportunities. In this scenario, he'd be a big winner, adding another pick or two and Campbell, a superb athlete whose speed to the sidelines and in coverage would give the Vikings defense another dimension of playmaking potential.
Joel Klatt of FOX Sports
March 18
Klatt projects at No. 24: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The Vikings bolstered their interior on both sides of the ball in free agency, allowing them to draft Starks here. You've got to strengthen a pass defense that gave up the fifth-most passing yards last season. Starks can help there, showing great instincts.
Daniel Harms of The Draft Network
March 23
Harms projects at No. 24: Kelvin Banks, Jr., OL, Texas
The J.J. McCarthy Era has begun in Minnesota, and while Christian Darrisaw should be able to return and play left tackle for them, it's never a bad idea to have options. Kelvin Banks, Jr., could compete at left guard right away for the Vikings while possibly becoming the future right tackle with Brian O'Neill entering his 30s.
Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network
March 16
Fowler projects at No. 24: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
A playmaker on the back end, Jahdae Barron is as versatile as any defender in the class. Whether he replaces Stephon Gilmore (UFA) on the outside, bumps Byron Murphy, Jr., out of the slot, or takes some snaps next to Harrison Smith at safety, Barron is a modern-day hybrid defender who fits seamlessly into Brian Flores' high speed, physical, attacking style of defensive architecture.
Mason Johnstone of The Draft Network
March 9
Johnstone projects at No. 24: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Brian Flores' defense thrives on versatility at safety and linebacker with players who can sit in coverage or match up in man. Malaki Starks is a seamless fit, capable of handling deep middle-of-the-field responsibilities while also buzzing down to fit the run or cover tight ends and backs in man coverage. His all-around ability gives Flores another dynamic chess piece to elevate one of the league's best defensive minds.
March 22
Simulator projects at No. 24: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The Minnesota Vikings have set themselves up fairly nicely this offseason. Quarterback remains a concern but not one they will address with another rookie, and there is not great value at interior offensive line at this point.
That leaves the defensive backfield, where there is a lack of depth, especially at safety. It is a need to think about for 2026 and beyond, and Malaki Starks fits that need, even if his stock did take a bit of a hit after an unimpressive showing at the NFL Combine. The tape demonstrates that Starks has the potential to be an NFL-level starting safety and can also offer value covering receivers out of the slot.
Staff projects at No. 97: Jordan Burch, EDGE, Oregon
With so few selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Vikings have to make them all count. While their pass rush may not scream out as a need, it does look weak compared to their stacked defensive interior. Burch was productive in his final year at Oregon, and while there are issues with his run defense, he could be a valuable piece on pass-rushing downs while he develops that area of his game.
Staff projects at No. 139: Mello Dotson, CB, Kansas
Staff projects at No. 187: Connor Colby, G, Iowa
Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News
March 19
Iyer projects at No. 24: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
The Vikings re-signed venerable Harrison Smith but said bye to viral rising star Cam Bynum. Emmanwori's freakish athleticism should be considered for a hybrid role, either playing ahead of or rotating with Theo Jackson.
Dylan Chappine of Wolf Sports
March 17
Chappine projects at No. 24: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
The Vikings re-signing Byron Murphy, Jr., and bringing in Isaiah Rodgers makes cornerback less of a priority than it otherwise would have been, but Hairston's speed and ball skills could still be appealing to Minnesota. If the defensive front — revamped with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave — creates consistent pressure, Hairston might be able to jump a few throws as a rookie.
Chad Reuter of NFL.com
March 21
Reuter projects at No. 30 (after a trade with Buffalo): Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Note: Reuter has the Vikings trading with the Bills and receiving two fourth-round picks.
Minnesota could look at a cornerback here, but Emmanwori's value may be too good to pass up — and the Vikings might have taken him if they'd stayed at No. 24. Stepping into the lineup at strong safety, this athletic freak also showed the quickness to play nickel while at South Carolina.
Mike Band, Next Gen Stats for NFL.com
March 20
Band projects at No. 31 (after a trade with Kansas City): Shavon Revel, Jr., CB, East Carolina
Note: Band did not propose compensation.
With only four picks on Minnesota's draft docket, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings are among the teams most likely to trade down in the first round. Revel, who is recovering from a September ACL tear, is a 6-foot-2 corner who offers the length and recovery speed Minnesota typically seeks on the boundary. Should his medicals check out, Revel has high-ROI potential as an anchor in Brian Flores' secondary. For a Vikings team in need of secondary reinforcements, the added picks (via trade) and Revel's upside make this a calculated gamble for the quant-focused Adofo-Mensah.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com
March 18
Jeremiah projects at No. 24: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
With Harrison Smith entering Year 14, the Vikings go get a young safety with the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways.
Josh Liskiewitz of Pro Football Focus
March 24
Liskiewitz projects at No. 24: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Key Stat: Emmanwori racked up six interceptions in three seasons at South Carolina but also dropped another four potential picks.
Bottom Line: Emmanwori is a tricky prospect who will require a leap of faith, considering where he's likely to be drafted. His elite athleticism and playmaking ability suggest his ceiling could be on par with a player like Kerby Joseph, but his underwhelming box play and questionable technique and instincts are more reminiscent of Isaiah Simmons, who was drafted in the first round in 2020 but has struggled to find a natural NFL position.
John Kosko of Pro Football Focus
March 17
Kosko projects at No. 24: Grey Zabel, T, North Dakota State
Zabel brings positional versatility and fits well with Kevin O'Connell's zone-blocking scheme. With the Vikings retooling their interior offensive line, Zabel has the movement skills and power to play inside.
Kyle Crabbs of The 33rd Team
March 24
Crabbs projects at No. 24: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
Hairston was one of the hottest names of the 2025 NFL Combine. His positional value with burst and ball skills playing in Brian Flores' defense feels like a match made in heaven. The signings of Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah shouldn't prevent the Vikings from taking a good fit at corner, either.
Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team
March 20
Mosher projects at No. 24: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Just imagine what Brian Flores could do with a player like Nick Emmanwori on his defense. The South Carolina star posted a perfect 10.0 RAS, measuring in at 6-3, 220 pounds. But Emmanwori isn't just a workout warrior. He's got good tape and solid ball production.
He can play either safety spot, but his best work might come when he is in the box and being used as a blitzer. Flores could create an entire defense around his athleticism and size, which would be terrifying for opposing offensive coordinators.
Mel Kiper, Jr., of ESPN
March 18
Kiper projects at No. 24: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Minnesota made some big splashes in free agency as it tries to take the NFC North from the Lions. Among them were deals to re-sign Byron Murphy, Jr., and bring in Isaiah Rodgers, but I'm not sure the Vikings should — or will — be done adding to the cornerback room.
Barron, meanwhile, picked off five passes last season, showing his ball skills. He ran a 4.39 at the combine, showing his speed. And he played more than 600 snaps at both slot corner and outside corner over the past two seasons, showing his versatility. I really like this fit.
Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston
March 21
Perry projects at No. 24: No pick after a trade with Raiders
Note: Perry has the Vikings trading this pick and receiving Nos. 38 and 77 this year, as well as a future fifth-round pick. He did not project what the Vikings would do at No. 38.
Luke Easterling of Athlon Sports
March 20
Easterling projects at No. 24: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Another fit that's just too perfect, the Vikings need more playmakers in the secondary, and an eventual successor to future Hall of Famer Harrison Smith on the back end. Emmanwori showed off his rare athleticism at the combine, but the film backs it up with his combination of range, ball skills and versatility.
Easterling projects at No. 97: Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY
March 24
Middlehurst-Schwartz projects at No. 24: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
After an active and aggressive run in free agency to resolve uncertainties along both lines and in the secondary, Minnesota has enviable flexibility here. Trading back remains a strong option for a team with just four picks, but standing pat could land them Emmanwori, a phenomenal athlete and versatile coverage piece who no doubt would stand to benefit from apprenticing under Harrison Smith.
Hayden Winks of Underdog Network
March 13
Winks projects at No. 24: Trading pick to Browns in exchange for picks No. 33 and 67
Note: At 33, Winks projects the Vikings take Malaki Starks, S, Georgia.
Jeff Risdon of Draft Wire
March 24
Risdon projects at No. 24: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Starks is a difficult player to slot because he's very polished and smart but not necessarily flashy. His ability to play any conceivable safety role should endear him to DC Brian Flores.
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