The Minnesota Vikings should feel a real sense of urgency heading into the 2026 offseason. Minnesota missed the playoffs after finishing the regular season 9-8. The Vikings struggled largely due to QB J.J. McCarthy's struggles with inconsistent play throughout the season.
Minnesota needs to figure out how to get the most out of McCarthy in 2026 if they want to make the playoffs. But the team's offseason priorities should not be limited to helping out McCarthy.
The Vikings also have a few important needs on defense that must be addressed. They'll need to use their 2026 draft picks wisely to make improvements on both sides of the ball.
But which players might Minnesota target in the draft?
Below we will explore a roundup of which prospects draft analysts are mocking to the Vikings in the wake of Super Bowl 60.
CB Aveion Terrell, Clemson
Tim Crean, ClutchPoints; Dan Parr, NFL.com; Matthew Freedman, Matthew Berry's Fantasy Life; Gordon McGuinness, PFF
Vikings fans probably won't be surprised to see that everyone is mocking cornerbacks to Minnesota.
Terrell is by far the most popular player mocked to the Vikings.
The brother of Falcons CB A.J. Terrell is considered by some to be the best cornerback in this year's draft class.
Terrell is at his best when playing press-man coverage where his athleticism and size can give him an advantage. He is also solid in zone coverage, which the Vikings would ask him to do the majority of the time.
McGuinness noted that Terrell scored an 85.2 PFF run-defense grade during the 2025 season. That could make him attractive to the Vikings given their aggressive defensive scheme.
Minnesota could lean towards Terrell if they want a player with a higher floor who can contribute right away.
CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
Hood is another one of the top cornerbacks in the 2026 draft class.
He thrives in press-man coverage just like Terrell, but arguably has more discipline in zone coverage. Hood has all the necessary skills to play the box safety role in the modern NFL, including incredible physicality when defending the run.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein noted that Hood can get grabby when he is out of phase in coverage.
Some teams are okay selecting a cornerback who may get flagged more often. But the Vikings may not want to take that risk.
If Minnesota makes this pick, it will be because they love Hood's long-term upside.
CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports; Danny Kelly, The Ringer
McCoy is so much more than “the other Tennessee cornerback.”
Between him and Hood, McCoy shows the tools and upside needed to become a CB1 in the NFL.
McCoy was an absolute force for the Volunteers from 2023-24. He logged 16 passes defensed and six interceptions between the two seasons. Any team drafting McCoy will be hopeful that he can recapture that magic as a pro.
The elephant in the room is McCoy's injury history.
McCoy tore his ACL during an offseason training session in Texas before the 2025 college football season. He missed the entire 2025 season before ultimately deciding to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Obviously medical testing will be incredibly important for McCoy's evaluation.
McCoy could plummet down draft boards if his medical evaluation at the NFL Scouting Combine does not yield good results. Meanwhile, if he is medically cleared, then I wonder if he'd still be available for the Vikings at 18.
Personally I think McCoy is worth the gamble if he falls all the way to Minnesota at 18. Pending a solid medical review, of course.
CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
Yates praised Cisse's “uncommon strength and athletic ability” in his latest mock draft. He could become a more popular cornerback prospect in the media if he balls out at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Cisse projects as an outside corner, but he did occasionally take snaps in the slot while at South Carolina. That suggests he does have some positional versatility.
Unlike other cornerbacks on this list, Cisse has incredible long speed. That should help him keep up with the fastest receivers the NFL has to offer.
Perhaps the Vikings could be drawn to Cisse over other cornerbacks because of his ability to thrive in coverage deep down the field.
It would be fascinating to see how Brian Flores deploys a cornerback like Cisse in his unique defensive scheme.
