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Schrager’s Sources Mock New Safety to MN Vikings
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- Schrager’s Sources Mock New Safety to MN Vikings
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsMark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
We are just over two weeks from the NFL Draft and the Minnesota Vikings are scheduled to make picks nine times through the course of the three day event, the first of which is at No. 18 overall .
After countless misses by former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah , acting general manager Rob Brzezinski and head coach Kevin O’Connell need to infuse the roster with youthful talent or face even greater depth issues in future seasons.
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Publicly, the Vikings seem set on a more cautious “stick and pick” approach, especially in early rounds. But no doubt, they have what they need to move up , should they get the right opportunity to do so.
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remains to be seen if the Vikings will swap assets and move up or down the board. If they stay put, the consensus pick is Dillon Thieneman out of Oregon, but it’s unclear why so many experts are mocking that same pick, outside of a need to replace Harrison Smith .
Peter Schrager’s steamy mock draft + MN Vikings
But NFL Insider Peter Schrager (ESPN) released a different type of mock draft on Tuesday, one that is not about fits or projections… but instead based on insider steam.
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There aren’t a lot of media members as plugged in as Schrager and he notes at the top of his mock draft today that his picks are based off of information he has gathered from insider sources, which makes his selections worth keeping extra close tabs on.
And instead of Thieneman, Peter has the MN Vikings going a different a slightly different direction, sticking at safety, but selecting Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is a tall, rangy safety who plays with high energy and is vocal in the defensive backfield. We’re still not sure if Harrison Smith will be back at 37 years old, but McNeil-Warren can be the torchbearer once Smith does choose to call it a career. He had five picks over the past three seasons.
Schrager’s first mock draft of the offseason compiles information he’s gleaned during the early portion of the offseason, including the NFL Combine, league meetings, and discussions with behind-the-scenes sources.
McNeil-Warren played four seasons at Toledo, amassing 48 total games over the course of his collegiate career. where he racked up 214 tackles and five career interceptions.
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I’d still bet on Harrison Smith returning for the 2026 season. Still, at 37 years old, there has to be a succession plan and McNeil-Warren would fit that bill. Another mock will drop from Schrager on April 22nd, the day before the NFL Draft.
Vikings can go a lot of different directions during draft
By picking 18th, and with multiple holes needing to be filled, the Minnesota Vikings don’t have to feel locked in on a safety. It’s clear Schrager believes that McNeil-Warren would be the preference at the position given he still has Thieneman on the board (and not going until 30th overall to Miami).
Kenyon Sadiq had one of the best days ever by a TE at the Combine:
40-Yard Dash: 4.39 (best ever by a TE)
Vertical Jump: 43.5’’ (second-best ever by a TE)
Broad Jump: 11’1’’ (third-best ever by a TE) @Accenture | @oregonfootball pic.twitter.com/fxvABmsGrd— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2026
The Vikings do need to bring in an eventual replacement for Smith, but they need serious help on the interior defensive line. Tight end could be a position of interest if Kenyon Sadiq remains , and depth in multiple spots is always a focal point.
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Minnesota has plenty of ammunition in the top 100 of this April’s Draft. For them to feel good about the haul, they’ll need to grab at least a few starters in that crop, and it probably doesn’t matter what order they tab each of them in.
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