Vikings’ Recent Draft Classes Raise Concerns About Long-Term Roster Building
It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings have been trying to build through the draft over the last couple of years. That’s the blueprint for sustainable success in today’s NFL-stack a few strong classes together, develop your young talent, and let the roster mature into a contender. But two years into this plan, the results have been underwhelming.
Let’s start with the 2024 class. First-rounders J.J.
McCarthy and Dallas Turner were expected to be foundational pieces. Turner, a dynamic edge rusher, has shown flashes that suggest he could be a real difference-maker on defense.
He’s got the motor, the bend, and the instincts you want off the edge. But McCarthy?
His rookie season left more questions than answers. He didn’t exactly grab the reins of the offense with confidence, and while it’s far too early to write him off, the Vikings were certainly hoping for more clarity at the quarterback position by now.
Fast forward to 2025, and the returns have been even thinner. With only five picks to work with, expectations were tempered.
But even with that context, the class hasn’t moved the needle. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz recently ranked the Vikings’ 2025 draft haul 30th in the league-and it’s hard to argue with that placement.
The lone bright spot? First-round pick Donovan Jackson.
The former Ohio State guard stepped in right away and held his own. His 92.6% pass block win rate was right on par with the league average for guards, and his 76.9% run block win rate was well above it.
That’s a promising sign for a team that’s been trying to stabilize the interior offensive line for years. Jackson might not be a Pro Bowler just yet, but he looks like a long-term solution at left guard-and that’s not nothing.
Beyond Jackson, though, it’s a steep drop-off.
Third-round wideout Tai Felton barely saw the field, finishing the season with just three catches for 25 yards. Whether that’s a reflection of his development or simply a crowded depth chart remains to be seen. If Jalen Nailor departs in free agency, Felton could get a shot at the WR3 role behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison-but right now, he’s still a question mark.
Then there’s Max Brosmer. The undrafted rookie quarterback was thrust into action and, to put it bluntly, wasn’t ready.
His 14.0 QBR tells the story-he struggled mightily when called upon. He did manage to go 1-1 as a starter, but that record masks the reality: Brosmer wasn’t close to being a viable backup, let alone a developmental project with upside.
That’s about it for the 2025 class. No late-round gems.
No surprise contributors. Just Jackson holding things down on the O-line and a lot of “wait and see” elsewhere.
And when you zoom out, this is now two straight years where the Vikings have landed near the bottom of the league in rookie impact. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a franchise trying to reset and reload under general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
Adofo-Mensah has taken some big swings in free agency-bringing in veterans like Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Isaiah Rodgers-but the results have been mixed. Some of those moves have helped patch holes, but they haven’t moved the franchise closer to contention.
The bigger issue is the draft. Outside of Turner, Jackson, and maybe McCarthy (if he develops), the Vikings haven’t found enough young talent to build around.
And that’s a problem. You can’t buy your way to sustained success in the NFL.
The core of your team has to come from the draft. Right now, Minnesota’s core is looking a little thin.
If the Vikings want to get serious about competing in the NFC-not just for a Wild Card spot, but for a real shot at a Super Bowl-they need to start hitting on their picks. That means finding starters on Day 2 and contributors on Day 3. It means identifying players who fit the system and can grow into leadership roles.
There’s still time to turn things around. McCarthy could take a leap.
Felton might emerge. Future draft classes could bring the reinforcements this roster needs.
But through two years, the results haven’t matched the vision. And unless that changes soon, the Vikings could find themselves stuck in the NFL’s dreaded middle ground-too good to bottom out, but not nearly good enough to contend.