The Vikings’ Best Trade-Down Targets for 2026

The draft is fast approaching, and I’m on record with my opinion that trading down from 18th overall could be the smart move for the Minnesota Vikings this year. Who are the best options in the Vikings draft that could be available later in the first round if acting general manager Rob Brzezinski does pull the trigger on a trade? That’s what we will look at today.

Five Prospects Who Fit Minnesota after a Trade Back

I’m not convinced the value will be there for the Vikings at 18, and if there is an offensive tackle, edge defender, or wide receiver on the board that another team is desperate for. The trade down could be worthwhile, and the Vikings could pick up the same player or one of similar ability somewhere in the 20s range, especially with the kind of positions that are most pressing for the team – defensive tackle, defensive back, linebacker.

Emmanuel McNeill-Warren (S) Toledo

There is a big Harrison Smith-shaped hole in the Vikings’ secondary right now, so it comes as no surprise that safety has probably been the most mocked position for the Vikings this year. Caleb Downs is going to be out of the Vikings’ reach, and since the combine, Dillon Thieneman might be too.

That leaves Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who I believe would be a big reach at 18, but becomes a better option if Minnesota has traded into the back end of the first round.

McNeill-Warren is a big, explosive safety with a useful knack for creating turnovers. He projects as a potential impact starter in a box role. One of my reservations is that Josh Metellus‘ role, and the Vikings’ look, are short of a free safety who can play deep unless Jay Ward is ready to step up.

The trade back to potentially add even more options on Day 2 makes me more comfortable, and the Vikings get a good player who Brian Flores should enjoy working with.

Kayden McDonald (DT) – Ohio State

The Vikings could use a big nose tackle who is dominant against the run, and Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald can provide that.

At 6’2 and 326 lbs, McDonald is a big, powerful man who showcased elite run defense in college, where his Pro Football Focus run-defense grade of 91.2 ranked first among qualifying FBS interior defenders. He backed that up with top-tier stability, landing in the 99th percentile in run-stop rate. 

The story with pass-rush is not so elite; he will look to use his size to cause a nuisance rather than have a clear, effective pass-rush plan. The latter is where the big money lies, which is why going early – or even middle – of the first round feels like a reach.

Trading back and filling a need feels better, and the Vikings could certainly use some elite run-stuffing in the middle of their DL. McDonald might be my favorite of these options if it comes with the right trade package.

Caleb Banks (DT) – Florida

Earlier in the draft process, Caleb Banks was my guy, and after a phenomenal performance at the combine, I was ready to nail my colors to the Banks mast and proclaim this is the guy the Vikings should draft. Then the news broke that Banks had broken his foot going into the combine, which made his performance even more incredible.

However, for a player who already has an extensive injury history at 23 years old, it was a major blow to his draft stock. Banks undoubtedly has the talent, length, and strength to be a great player, who should be well-suited to a 3-4 scheme like the Vikings run. In that role, he can occupy space, shed blocks, and contribute as a complementary pass rusher.

That sort of role takes him out of the top end of the first round that he was once looking at, but he could be worth the gamble late in the first.

Avieon Terrell (CB) – Clemson

The Vikings have put together a group of cornerbacks who aren’t quite good enough to be great for one reason or another. Clemson CB Avieon Terrell could be another player to fit that description.

He has elite football IQ and playmaking instincts, but his lack of length and height of 5’11 likely puts a ceiling on his overall effectiveness – see Byron Murphy. He can certainly be a starting-level player and would add depth for the Vikings at an important position, where he would probably operate from the slot,  at least early in his career. Minnesota gets more value for drafting Terrell if they had traded back.

Colton Hood (CB) – Tennessee

The Vikings have been on the search for a lockdown corner ever since Xavier Rhodes lost his mojo – and that will soon be a decade ago. Colton Hood has the potential to be that guy, but with only one full season as a starter at the collegiate level, that is more of a prediction than a certainty.

He is of a talented size and length that teams desire, but at just 21, his inexperience has seen inconsistency in his play. He will need to finish his development in the pro ranks, which has his draft prospects pegged as a late first- or early second-rounder. A trade back would put him in the Vikings range, and he would be an intriguing prospect for coach Flores to work with.

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