April is upon us and the 2025 NFL draft is now just three weeks away. The Minnesota Vikings have just four selections at the moment, which adds pressure on GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his staff to get those picks right.
Of course, they could — and likely will — trade down to ensure they leave the weekend with more than four drafted players. But for now, picks 24 and 97 are the only top-100 selections possessed by Minnesota. Which positions might they address in the first few rounds?
NFL.com's Chad Reuter has identified the "ideal" first two picks for the Vikings (and every other team) in a new article. Here's who he has Minnesota taking:
- Round 1: No. 24 overall: Azareye'h Thomas, CB, Florida State
- Round 3: No. 97 overall: Wyatt Milum, OG, West Virginia
"Minnesota brought back Byron Murphy Jr. and signed ex-Eagle Isaiah Rodgers but could still use a corner with size on the outside. The 6-1 1/2, 197-pound Thomas has size to spare and will lock up larger targets when allowed to use his physicality downfield. The Vikings traded their 2025 second- and third-round selections in separate deals last spring, then were awarded a third-round compensatory selection -- which they use here to fill a hole at left guard by selecting Milum, who could successfully shift inside from left tackle thanks to his active feet and willingness to finish."
Thomas is a guy who could make a lot of sense for the Vikings if they're fans of his upside. He's got outstanding size for a press-man corner, which is something Brian Flores covets in his scheme. He also doesn't turn 21 until July. He isn't the fastest corner, but his burst and athleticism are good enough to complement his physicality and technique. And while he had just two interceptions at FSU, he did have 15 passes defended and nine tackles for loss in three seasons. He has some impressive college tape and shined at the Senior Bowl earlier this month, which could make him a late-first-round pick.
With Murphy, Rodgers, Mekhi Blackmon, Jeff Okudah, and a couple other depth pieces, the Vikings certainly don't need to take a cornerback in this draft. But if there's one they really like, there's also nothing stopping them from taking one as early as the first round. They could use another long-term building block at that position. Other corners who could be targets late in the first round or early in the second (if they trade back) include Jahdae Barron, Maxwell Hairston, Trey Amos, Shavon Revel Jr., and Benjamin Morrison.
As for Milum, he could potentially compete with Blake Brandel and Michael Jurgens for the Vikings' left guard job right away as a rookie. The 6'6" 23-year-old was a four-year starter at left tackle for West Virginia who graded very well and was named an All-American last season. But with shorter arms and good-but-not-great athleticism, many have forecasted that he'll move to guard in the NFL. He got some quality reps on the interior at the Senior Bowl. Milum plays with the nastiness you want to see from your offensive lineman, and his upside might get him drafted earlier than 97.
