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The Minnesota Vikings had a magical 2024 NFL season. Minnesota won 14 games with QB Sam Darnold after J.J. McCarthy went down with a season-ending injury before Week 1. Now the Vikings are ready to let McCarthy take the helm in 2025 and hopefully guide Minnesota back to the playoffs. The Vikings will be looking to add a few reinforcements in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The folks over at ESPN released an NFL Nation mock draft on Tuesday ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. ESPN's Kevin Seifert dropped an interesting note during his pick for the Vikings.
Seifert believes the Vikings would need a “slum dunk return” to trade down from the 24th overall pick.
Seifert mentioned the idea of trading down because of the way the board fell during the NFL Nation mock draft. He had the Vikings targeting players like Tyler Booker, Grey Zabel, and Derrick Harmon. All of those players were already drafted before the 24th overall pick, which prompted the comment from Seifert.
Instead of trading down, Seifert had the Vikings selecting South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori.
Seifert called Emmanwori “a safety whose size and playmaking skills would make him an intriguing addition to Brian Flores' positionless defense.”
The Vikings could really use a new safety. Camryn Bynum left Minnesota during free agency in March and veteran Harrison Smith is 36 years old. Minnesota needs to add depth to their safety room, and Emmanwori could be the perfect fit.
Should the Vikings consider trading down during the 2025 NFL Draft?
Would the Vikings be smart to consider trading down during the 2025 NFL Draft?
The Vikings will enter the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday with just four selections. Minnesota spent some of their draft picks last year while trading up for both Dallas Turner and J.J. McCarthy.
This puts Minnesota in a difficult position. The Vikings may be forced exclusively choose players at positions of need if they only have a handful of picks. What's more, a lack of draft capital can make it almost impossible to move up the draft board. Or they could raid next year's war chest of picks, but that would leave them in the same scenario next offseason.
Meanwhile, trading down could net the Vikings more draft picks.
Minnesota should not feel desperate to trade down simply because they lack draft picks. But they should keep an open mind ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
