The Vikings Are Lurking in the Draft’s “Great Debate”

From the moment four-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly retired last month, the Minnesota Vikings have needed a replacement, and they signed zero in free agency. Accordingly, the purple team is probably part of the “great debate,” defined by ESPN, to determine the draft’s top center.

Minnesota may need to weigh center earlier than expected next week.

Jordan Reid uplifted the whodunit this week, and if the Vikings play their cards right next week, they might nab a combatant from the debate.

A Unique Draft Class Could Force the Vikings’ Hand

Would you like to see Minnesota draft a rookie center?

Reid Calls Out the Draft’s “Great Debate”

With the draft nine days out, Reid tweeted:

Great debate happening in draft rooms right now that I can’t wait to see unfold is who is the first center drafted. All of them at the top have similar grades from scouts this year.

• Logan Jones, Iowa
• Sam Hecht, Kansas State
• Jake Slaughter, Florida
• Connor Lew, Auburn

There are no 1st-Round centers to contemplate this year, but Reid outlines the Big Four.

Sam Hecht

Hecht is arguably the best technician of the bunch, known for his anchor, hands, and agility. For center standards, he doesn’t have the greatest length and hence is considered a bit undersized. His margin for error might be less than the others in the debate against premier defensive tackles.

The Ringer‘s Todd McShay on Hecht: “Hecht reminds me of Garrett Bradbury, another smart, tough, and athletic center with arms that measured shorter than 32 inches at the combine. Hecht didn’t test as well as Bradbury did at the combine, and he won’t go in the first round like Bradbury did, but he’s capable of starting early in his career and there’s a lot to like about his floor as an NFL center.”

Logan Jones

Jones is old. Let’s broadcast that worldwide before you get too excited. He’ll be a 25-year-old rookie, and for some fans, that’s a non-starter. Some players have a second NFL contract by Jones’ age.

Jones highlighted his 50 starts and fit in a zone-based system. He’s the cleanest fit for teams that want a center who can reach block and who can climb to the second level.

And as an age-25 rookie, he better be ready to roll in September. Why on earth would a team draft a 25-year-old rookie center and sit on him to develop for a couple of years?

It’s worth noting that Jones is also “undersized,” with some pundits calling him a diet Tyler Linderbaum, who just struck free-agent gold with the Las Vegas Raiders last month.

Bleacher Report‘s Brandon Thorn on Jones: “Very good initial quickness and burst to close space and establish first meaningful contact on defenders in the zone run game and on back blocks. Can hook shades, complete overtakes on combination blocks and transition into the drive-phase late in the rep to steer and widen defenders out of lanes.”

Connor Lew

If you like youth in a draft, this is your guy. Lew hasn’t turned 21 yet. He’s the anti-Logan Jones.

Many draft heads — perhaps most — rank Lew as the top center in the draft, but that may be because he, unlike Jones, has time to develop. At 20, his frame will continue to fill out on the fly, and his wrestling background will intrigue general managers.

The downside of Lew? There’s always one of those for mid-round prospects, huh? He tore his ACL last year.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein on Lew: “He’s a natural bender with better foot quickness and athleticism than he shows in the Auburn run scheme. He has strong hands and a strong core to neutralize. He can bump and climb with good fluidity.”

“He’s average as a drive blocker and needs to play with better consistency to mirror the rush without over-setting. His frame and game will continue to improve with time. Lew’s toughness, intelligence and leadership give him a slight grade bump and are core traits that should make him a solid starter.’

Lew is so young that he could watch and learn behind Blake Brandel at center for a season before letting ‘er rip.

Jake Slaughter

In addition to a sweet football last name, Slaugher is a “football guy” and was a three-year starter at Florida. Some credible reports suggest that the Vikings will prioritize “college production” over youth in next week’s draft, paving the way for Slaughter to be a frontrunner.

The Athletic‘s Dane Brugler on Slaughter: “He was the heart and brain of the Florida offensive line and earned All-America nods as both a junior and senior. Slaughter was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy in 2025 and recognized as the top center in the SEC.”

“Slaughter doesn’t have overwhelming traits, but he consistently does his job using controlled movements, stout strength and veteran processing skills. With his makeup, he should compete for starting center snaps as a rookie.”

Because he’ll be 24 as a rookie, Slaughter, like Jones, should start sooner rather than later. He’s better known for his run-blocking than pass protection.

---