Vikings Could Resolve Overlooked Need in Draft
Nov 9, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jaylin Noel (13) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Kansas Jayhawks at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings have an unusually rich history in finding wide receivers from the NFL draft or undrafted irrelevance.
Vikings Could Resolve Overlooked Need in Draft
Randy Moss, Justin Jefferson, Stefon Diggs, Anthony Carter, Adam Thielen, Percy Harvin, Jordan Addison, and to an extent, Cris Carter, can attest.
Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) celebrates with the Leishman Trophy after defeating the Oregon Ducks in the 2025 Rose Bowl college football quarterfinal game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.
And heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, Minnesota could target a wideout, says Star Tribuneâs Ben Goessling.
WR as Vikings Roster Need
Goessling said on the Vikings Happy Hour podcast last week, âI would keep an eye on wide receiver depth. They did the Rondale Moore pickup, I think thatâs a short-term thing, but they have sniffed around in that (WR) world a little bit in the pre-draft process.â
âI think thereâs gonna be a look at how can they find another guy there, because one of the questions they have to answer in the next couple of years is what does that position look like behind Justin Jefferson?â
Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
Most fans donât have wide receiver as a front-and-center roster need, but most fans wonât mind one either, mainly because the franchise is so good at finding them. And â wide receivers are exciting.
âJordan Addison, heading into year three, youâre gonna have to make a contract decision on him in the next couple of years, and wide receivers have been in abundant supply in these drafts,â Goessling added.
âSo if they can find somebody to either pair with that 1-2 punch that they have ⊠or possibly be a successor to Jordan Addison, I think thatâs a back-pocket need, but I think itâs probably going to be in there.â
Itâs unclear where Minnesota might pluck a thrilling new wideout. The team has just four draft picks this go-round â a 1st-Rounder, one in the 3rd, a 5th-Rounder, and a 6th-Round pick.
The First Pick Options at WR
The Vikings drafting a wideout at Pick No. 24 or early in Round 2 after a theoretical trade back would symbolize an embarrassment of riches at the position. Itâs also worth noting that the aforementioned Addison could be suspended to start the 2025 season after a July 2024 driving infraction that remains legally unresolved.
Nov 9, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) runs with the ball during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images.
Nevertheless, if Minnesota chose WR affluence with its first pick in the draft, these are the options:
Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona)
Matthew Golden (Texas)
Emeka Egubka (Ohio State)
Luther Burden (Missouri)
Full disclosure: McMillan would have to fall quite a bit to be in play for the Vikings on draft night and might even be a Top 10 pick.
Mid-Round Options
After the top-tier rookies, these men could turn purple from Round 2 or 3:
Jayden Higgins (Iowa State)
Elic Ayomanor (Stanford)
Tre Harris (Ole Miss)
Jack Bech (TCU)
Isaiah Bond (Texas)
Jaylin Noel (Iowa State)
Jalen Royals (Utah State)
Xavier Restrepo (Miami)
Later in the Draft
Finally, the late-round options, of which Minnesota has already met with a couple of the possibilities (Felton, Baldwin, Singer):
Tai Felton (Maryland)
Dontâe Thornton (Tennessee)
Nick Nash (San Jose State)
Kaden Prather (Maryland)
Pat Bryant (Illinois)
Ricky White (UNLV)
Jaylin Lane (Virginia Tech)
Monaray Baldwin (Baylor)
Dorian Singer (Utah)
Nov 16, 2024; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Baylor Bears wide receiver Monaray Baldwin (4) catches a pass for a touchdown during the second quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images.
The Current WR Group
If the club does nothing in the draft, these wide receivers are under contract in 2025:
Justin Jefferson
Jordan Addison
Jalen Nailor
Rondale Moore
Tim Jones
Jeshaun Jones
Thayer Thomas
Lucky Jackson
Minnesota will likely add a few undrafted free-agent wideouts as well.
The NFL draft is 24 days away.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, âThe Sopranos,â Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.Â
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