Since Kevin O’Connell took over the Minnesota Vikings four years ago, he’s never quite nailed rushing offense efficiency, and he may have to do precisely that for long-term job security. Accordingly, all the evidence is mounting to suggest a rookie running back for O’Connell and friends in next month’s draft, probably before the end of Round 4.
Kevin O’Connell could soon get a new toy in the backfield.
And, of course, Minnesota is wildly overdue to spend draft capital on a halfback.
Vikings Look More Likely Than Ever to Draft a RB
A longstanding request from fans may be answered.
Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling: Vikings Probably Drafting a RB
Speaking with KFAN’s Paul Allen, Goessling was asked if we would be surprised by a running back selection by the Vikings early in the draft.
He replied, “I would not be surprised by that. I think there’s a very good chance that they do that. Yeah, because I think the concept of what they’re trying to do offensively with new assistant Frank Smith, some of the McDaniel stuff that they have been impressed by. I think it makes sense there.”
“And you also have to think about the future. Aaron Jones, you know, is going to be 32 in December. So you’ve got to think about that going forward … Jones still has some speed, but we’ve seen it towards the end of seasons where he just hits a wall and the wear and tear slows him down a little bit.”
Jones, indeed, hit a wall in 2025 with pestering injuries.
Goessling added, “So I think it makes a lot of sense for the continued investment in that position. And I would not be surprised if one of those top one hundred pick is on a running back.”
The Vikings are also conducting pre-draft visits with tailbacks like Emmett Johnson (Nebraska), Jonah Coleman (Washington), and Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest). The clues are there.
The Contenders
Minnesota would need a blockbuster trade to obtain the top halfback in the class — Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame. In the off chance he tumbles down the board, Minnesota could perhaps scoop him around around Pick No. 10, but that feels like a long shot.
Therefore, if Love is not in play — he probably won’t be — the Vikings will have these runners on their radar sometime before the beginning of Round 5:
- Jadarian Price (Notre Dame)
- Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas)
- Jonah Coleman (Washington)
- Emmett Johnson (Nebraska)
- Nick Singleton (Penn State)
Price will likely be a Round 2 pick, and his talent mirrors Tony Pollard from about five years ago. Washington Jr. set the Combine on fire with his speed, and he looks like a young Latavius Murray with his size and locomotion.
Coleman is versatile and worthy of a bellcow role in time: think a bulkier Ray Rice. Johnson brings memories of Devonta Freeman from the Atlanta Falcons and actually ran a faster 40 (4.4) at Nebraska’s Pro Day this week than his disappointing 4.56 at the Combine.
Singleton cooked at Penn State, and Minnesotans should know him well from the University of Minnesota rivalry overlap. His toolkit is similar to Miles Sanders’s a half-decade ago.
The Recent Numbers
The Vikings desperately need to fix their ground game once and for all. Each year under O’Connell, the unit improves but never enough to stand on business.
These are the numbers:
Vikings Rushing DVOA,
NFL Ranking,
in the Kevin O’Connell Era:
2022: 27th
2023: 27th
2024: 20th
2025: 13th
While the 13th-best ranking in 2025 was impressive, Minnesota ran the ball 43% of the time, which ranked 19th in the NFL. The Vikings had a Top 13 rushing offense but ran the rock at a Bottom 13 clip.
The working theory suggests drafting Price, Washington Jr., Coleman, Johnson, or Singleton will “force” the offense to run more — and even more dynamically.
Time to Develop
Whichever fighter Minnesota lands on in the draft, that youngster will have plenty of time to watch and learn. The Vikings re-upped with Aaron Jones, who will turn 32 in December, and have Jordan Mason (who turns 27 in May) lined up for the offensive backfield, too. Unless the rookie-to-be sets training camp and the preseason on fire, Mason and Jones figure to share the RB1 workload again.
But that doesn’t have to last. Perhaps the rookie tailback will be too good for the RB3 job. In that scenario, either Jones or Mason will slide to the back of the rotation.
The Vikings are one smart running back draft pick away from owning the deepest RB room of O’Connell’s tenure. It will also help to have Kyler Murray at quarterback, who rushes for about 600 rushing yards every 17 starts.
