It was a miraculous year for the Minnesota Vikings. No one expected much out of Minnesota, especially with rookie J.J. McCarthy and Sam Darnold as their primary quarterback options. However, a spectacular year from Darnold paved the way to a 14-win season — ultimately ending in a heartbreaking Wild Card Round loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Following Darnold’s move to Seattle, tt looks like the team is now moving forward with McCarthy as their answer at quarterback. Head coach Kevin O’Connell will look to restructure the roster a bit to give his rookie even more chances to thrive, and the latest seven-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft from PFSN’s Brentley Weissman has the Vikings doing just that.
24) Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
“Harrison Smith is on his last legs, and for the first time in over a decade, safety help will be needed in Minnesota. It’s rare to find players with the athleticism Nick Emmanwori brings, and the Vikings can’t pass on him at this stage of the draft,” Weissman said.
“Emmanwori is a freakish athlete with rare length, speed, and burst. He can play deep or in the box and makes a big impact as a run defender.”
The third-best defense on PFSN’s Defense+ metric doesn’t need major changes to stay elite. But with Smith getting older, a changing of the guard is coming, and adding one of the top safeties in the draft gives them the perfect replacement.
97) Garrett Dellinger, OG, LSU
“Garrett Dellinger offers guard/center flexibility and can compete at either position. With the Vikings moving on from Garrett Bradbury this offseason, it makes sense to add depth through the draft,” Weissman said.
Between a second-ranked defense and an offense featuring Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, one of the main areas of focus has been and will continue to be the offensive line. Ranked ninth on PFSN’s OL+ metric, the unit could use some tinkering to climb higher.
As Weissman notes, swapping Bradbury for Dellinger as a long-term option might be ideal — especially for a team that needs to improve against the blitz.
139) Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College
Like Dellinger, Ozzy Trapilo joins an offensive line that already saw changes this offseason. He’s especially strong in run schemes, where Minnesota ranked 12th in the league.
Adding help up front could boost the offense’s efficiency while also taking pressure off McCarthy in what could be his first season as a starter.
187) LeQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse
Aaron Jones had a fantastic year, rushing for 1,138 yards on a solid 4.5 yards per carry. The team added Jordan Mason via trade, but to round out the running back room, they could do worse than taking a swing on LeQuint Allen late in the draft.
The Syracuse back had a three-year collegiate career and became a key part of the Orange’s offense, topping 1,000 yards in each of his last two seasons. His red-zone production also improved, jumping from nine touchdowns in 2023 to 16 last year.