10 biggest questions that will be answered on draft night
By Matthew Coller
Draft night is finally here. Let’s have a look at the most pressing questions facing the Minnesota Vikings on Day 1 of the draft…
1 — Will the Vikings go chalk and pick Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman?
Ben Robinson of Grinding The Mocks was on the Purple Insider podcast on Wednesday night and he said that 48% of mock drafts have the Vikings taking Thieneman.
There are some analysts who believe that he will be taken before the Vikings get a chance but if he’s on the board, will they land him to replace Harrison Smith?
Thieneman is a great prospect, though safety has become a position that teams do not traditionally draft very high, in part because they are often available on the free agent market or cane be developed from later rounds.
It will be the “safe” pick if they go Thieneman, though it also might turn out to be the right one.
2 — If Kenyon Sadiq is on the board, would they pick him over more pressing positions?
The opposite of the safe pick is Sadiq, who is a freaky athlete who hasn’t yet hit his peak. He was fairly productive but not dominant last year at Oregon. The Vikings would be taking him to contribute in a rotational role right away and then take over for TJ Hockenson after 2026. It’s a short and long-term play, even if there are risks that go along with super athletic tight ends high in the draft.
3 — Will the Vikings trade Jonathan Greenard on draft night?
There have been rumors for months and it may come to a head on draft night. Deadlines make deals, right?
The team that has been most connected to the Greenard situation is the Philadelphia Eagles. How much are they willing to give up? The Eagles own the 68th pick from the New York Jets, which could be a target for the Vikings. However, Philly might be looking to get a better deal since nobody has stepped to the plate yet with an offer that the Vikings want.
The fact that Greenard wasn’t at the first phase of the offseason program raises the question of how hard he is going to push for a new contract if he’s not traded.
4 — Is CB Jermod McCoy an option despite his injury history?
Some analysts believe that McCoy might be the best cornerback in this draft class if he had been able to play the 2025 season. He tore his ACL and there are reports that he has some other issues that could be a long-term problem. Last year cornerback Will Johnson dropped into the second round because of injury issues. Is that going to happen to McCoy or could the Vikings have medical information that gives them confidence that he can be OK long term?
The risk might be worth the reward, even if there will be shades of Andrew Booth Jr. on everyone’s mind.
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