Trading Down At the Draft Is the Key To the Minnesota Vikings Offseason
Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski via Imagn Images
Now that the Super Bowl is over, the league is waiting for the first dominoes to start falling in free agency, which starts with the new league year on March 12. The Minnesota Vikings will be forced to be extremely active to replenish the 22 free agents from last year’s roster. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will need to repeat his uncovering free agency bargains from last offseason.
With so many roster spots to fill, the team’s $61 million in cap space may vanish quickly, especially if they make a splash signing. The Vikings will need to be extremely creative with extensions (i.e. Josh Metellus), signing bonus conversions, and void years to free up more cap space that pushes money to future years, which will also reduce some cap flexibility going forward. Good thing the Vikings have Rob Brzezinski, Vice President of Football Operations, as he is known league-wide as one of the best cap experts.
But the entire key to this offseason won’t be a big signing, it’ll be what they do with their first-round pick. Sporting the 24th overall selection and (likely) just three draft picks after that, a trade down from the first round is both necessary and imminent. With this draft class being strong with interior defensive linemen, defensive backs, and running backs — all of which are needs for the Vikings — there is going to be value in the middle rounds for Minnesota, but only if they can recover draft capital.
It’s not farfetched to suggest that we could see Kwesi do something similar to what he did in 2022, when he traded down 20 spots from 12 to 32 to gain additional picks. Unfortunately, whiffing on the picks made it irrelevant, but Kwesi turned that No. 12 pick (as well as 46th overall) into a first-rounder (32 overall), two second-rounders (Nos. 42 and 59), and a third-rounder (No. 66). Again, it didn’t work out, but that card exists in Kwesi’s deck, and that’s exactly the kind of trade that would make for an excellent opportunity in the 2025 Draft.
Let’s examine some players that could be available to Minnesota with added selections in the middle rounds via a trade down. The Vikings’ goal should be to obtain additional picks in Rounds 2 through 4 that would help cheaply fill roster spots with players that have impact potential.
This is an interesting draft class. The strength is the middle class. Picks 20-60 are pretty much the same.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) January 28, 2025
Tyler Booker, Guard, Alabama
Projected: Late-first/Early-second round
Free agency is loaded with interior offensive linemen, so it’s strongly believed the Vikings will look to address interior needs there, especially since this draft class is not strong at the position. But if the Vikings wanted to draft an interior lineman, then Tyler Booker would be the player to target.
Alabama LG 52 Tyler Booker handles the looper and casually blocks two defenders. pic.twitter.com/rPNhy77Ol9
— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) February 5, 2025
Booker is quickly moving up draft boards, as he is a mauler in the run game who boasts active feet in pass protection. In fact, he didn’t allow a single pressure with Alabama last season. He will be turning 21 years old soon and possesses NFL-ready strength and the versatility to play both guard spots. North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel turned a lot of heads at the Senior Bowl and can play any position on the offensive line and would be in consideration as a second-round pick also.
Shavon Revel Jr., Cornerback, East Carolina
Projected: Late-first/early-second round
It is a deep defensive back class, which might push him out of the top 32 picks, but Shavon Revel Jr. is a first-round talent. He might still be a first-round pick, as long as teams are comfortable with his medicals after he suffered a torn ACL last season. At 6-foot-3, 193 pounds, Revel has the size and length Brian Flores covets for his secondary. He can play press man or zone coverage as he has excellent instincts and the start-stop quickness to make plays on the ball regularly.
Shavon Revel is a monster CB prospect.
He’s listed at 6’3, 193lbs and is expected to BLOW UP the Combine.
In just 15 career starts at ECU, he’s put up 12 PBUs and 3 picks while allowing a 42.2% completion rate and 59.7 passer rating.
A top 32 player in this class. pic.twitter.com/U0AxyU2tCi
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 26, 2025
Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston, Ole Miss’ Trey Amos, and Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas are also strong options for defensive backs at this stage of the draft.
Darius Alexander, Defensive Tackle, Toledo
Projected: Second round
I am now Darius Alexander's biggest fan pic.twitter.com/qODBQ4VVxu
— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) January 31, 2025
Trading into the second round should surely keep Minnesota in position to draft a high-end defensive tackle prospect, as there are several options. Let’s highlight Darius Alexander, in particular. A Senior Bowl standout, Alexander was unblockable in one-on-one drills, showing off his powerful hands to move blockers and efficiency in using them. He possesses the diverse skill set Flores loves and can play any position on the line. However, he best profiles as a three-technique rusher, which the Vikings desperately need.
Devin Neal, Running Back, Kansas
Projected: Late-third/early-fourth round
There are a lot of running back options projected for the second round, but there is also plenty of value in the middle rounds, leaving the Vikings free to use their first picks on defensive tackle or defensive back help.
Kansas RB Devin Neal has the skillset to be an early down workhorse and could be relied upon on pass protection situations. #BuildingTheBoard
Positives
✅ Ideal NFL frame at 5'10 220 lbs
✅ Exceptional vision.
✅ Shows patience behind the LOS. Waits for the best path to open… pic.twitter.com/7gesYczJyn— We are back Ben Johnson (@TommyK_NFLDraft) February 12, 2025
At 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, Devin Neal has ideal size with a compact build to improve upon the Vikings’ dreadful rushing game in the red zone last season. He’s got good vision and the ability to set up blocks, combined with the acceleration to hit running lanes with authority. His hands are also capable of providing regular mismatches out of the backfield. UCF’s R.J. Harvey and Miami’s Damien Martinez are viable options in this range, as well.
Darien Porter, Cornerback, Iowa State
Projected: Fourth round
Like Revel, Darien Porter fits the profile Flores seeks: tall and lengthy (6-foot-4, 200 pounds) and track speed, as he’s projected to run in the 4.3s range at the 40-yard dash at the combine. Porter also has the statistical profile to shoot up draft boards, as well. Quarterbacks had a 26.7% completion percentage throwing against him and is better suited as a zone-corner which Flores has relied upon with his time in Minnesota that was more out of necessity given the secondary personnel. As head coach in Miami, Flores’ bread and better was man coverage as he led the league in 2020 (55.2%) and 2021 (48.0%) and Porter’s speed suggests he has man coverage tools that may give Flores more confidence to dial up more man-centric schemes. Kansas’ Cobee Bryant is also a possibility.
Watching Iowa State DB Darien Porter #10, I'm shocked he was a part-time player for the Cyclones. A big, physical specimen with great athletic traits. He triggers downhill against the PA, throws off timing, then drops into zone, IDing the TE coming across, and picks this off. pic.twitter.com/y8drUEWFHs
— Daniel Harms (@InHarmsWay19) January 10, 2025
Few of these players would be considered great picks at 24, but if the Vikings can trade down and scoop up a bunch of them, they’ll be able to replenish their aging roster with younger, high-upside players. Kwesi has been masterful with the free agency, but has been much spottier at the draft. That must change if this team is going to take this to the next level long-term, as Philadelphia Eagles built a Super Bowl team with their draft success, hitting on Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Milton Williams, Nolan Smith Jr., Cooper DeJean, and Quinyon Mitchell in recent years.
Kwesi has a chance to build up that kind of team, as well, especially if Jordan Addison, Mekhi Blackmon, J.J. McCarthy, and Dallas Turner are able to fully realize their talent. But that kind of long-term success will be predicated on whether or not he can play this draft to perfection.
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