The NFL Draft is coming up soon, and the Minnesota Vikings are in a very interesting position with the 18th overall pick in the first round. By the time the commissioner speaks for Minnesota, the best quarterbacks and edge rushers will probably be gone. But in the past, smart front offices have built championship-caliber rosters in the middle of the first round. Pick No. 18 is a great chance for the Vikings to get a young player who can make a big difference on defense without being too well-known.
While the national media focuses on the top ten, looking at the data shows some hidden gems that are worth more than they are. Today, we're going to talk about three sleeper prospects that the Vikings should really think about picking with the 18th overall pick: Dillon Thieneman, a safety from Oregon; Keldric Faulk, a defensive lineman from Auburn; and Kayden McDonald, a defensive tackle from Ohio State.
Dillon Thieneman
If the Vikings want to change their secondary, Dillon Thieneman is the perfect player to go after at 18. The former Purdue star, who moved to Oregon and had a great 2025 season as a First-Team All-American, has a unique combination of instincts and elite track speed. Thieneman made a name for himself at the 2026 NFL Combine by running the 40-yard dash in an official time of 4.35 seconds.
Thieneman isn't just a good sleeper because of his straight-line speed; he also has a history of producing. He set records for freshmen at Purdue with six interceptions. Last year, he led the Ducks' defense with 96 tackles and two picks. In today's NFL, where defensive coordinators want players who can do a lot of different things, Thieneman has the range of a real single-high safety. Some people think that drafting a safety at 18 is a stretch, which is why he doesn't get a lot of attention. But his closing speed makes him a plug-and-play starter who would make Minnesota's defensive backfield better right away.
Keldric Faulk
When looking at the defensive line, the most important traits that lead to success on Sunday are size, length, and versatility. Keldric Faulk comes from Auburn. Faulk is a real specimen at 6'6″ and 276 pounds, with an 82-inch wingspan. His raw sack numbers might not scream “top-ten lock,” but his tape shows that he is a disruptive force who is just beginning to tap into his athletic potential.
Keldric Faulk is a day 1 dominator on early downs
Teams rarely run the ball at him and when they try, they almost always fail pic.twitter.com/NlZUGPBQ5E
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 13, 2026
Faulk is a great edge setter and run defender who can easily move inside when the other team is passing. In 2025, he was the team captain and earned Third-Team All-SEC honors. He also put a lot of pressure on quarterbacks. The Vikings need players in the trenches who can hold their ground against the run and get better at rushing the passer. Minnesota gets a key player in Faulk at 18. His smooth strides and big hands make him hard to tackle, and his good character fits in perfectly with the culture the Vikings are trying to build in their locker room.
Kayden McDonald
In the first round, sometimes the best thing to do is just pick the strongest player who is available. Kayden McDonald from Ohio State fits that description perfectly. At 326 pounds, McDonald finished off a legendary junior season in Columbus by winning the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year award and being named an All-American. In 2025, he had 65 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and three sacks. This showed that he is more than just a space-eater.
Kayden McDonald is one of the safest draft picks you can make as an NFL GM. This is what he did to one of the best OL’s in College Football⬇️ https://t.co/aO6Kq1UHnu pic.twitter.com/2rZN4lLNdz
— LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) February 20, 2026
McDonald uses amazing leverage, natural strength, and sudden speed to break through double teams and scare interior offensive linemen. Even though top edge rushers often get picked before interior run-stuffers in the draft, he is still a “sleeper” for the top half of the draft. His impact is clear. Picking McDonald with the 18th overall pick gives the Vikings an anchor who will immediately draw double teams, letting their linebackers flow to the ball.
The Minnesota Vikings' 18th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is very important. The most important thing should be to add a high-motor, athletic player to the defense. Dillon Thieneman has great speed and range of coverage; Keldric Faulk has great length and can play in a variety of positions; and Kayden McDonald brings raw power to the defensive interior.
Thieneman's positional value, Faulk's raw pass-rush production, and McDonald's conventional devaluation of interior tackles are just a few of the small problems that keep each prospect out of the top ten discussion. But their college tape and physical tools scream first-round talent. The Vikings can acquire a fundamental building block for years to come by going after one of these sleepers.
