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Vikings Fans Believe the Round 1 Draft Target Is Obvious
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- Vikings Fans Believe the Round 1 Draft Target Is Obvious
Kevin Jairaj
The 2026 NFL Draft is 12 weeks away, and Minnesota Vikings fans believe they know how the team will operate in Round 1: picking a defensive back at pick No. 18. We polled purple and gold fans on X this week, formerly known as Twitter, and the response proved quite overwhelming.
With CB and safety both sitting in a clear need lane, the fan vote claims a DB is on the way in Round 1.
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Without seeing free agency , the group thinks a shiny rookie cornerback or safety is headed to Minneapolis.
Vikings Fan Poll Points to a Defensive Back
Draft season nears, and fans weigh in.
Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell goes through early-practice drills as preparations begin for the season on Aug 4, 2023, at Clemson in South Carolina. The session highlighted Terrell's fluid movement and attention to detail as the Tigers' secondary laid its foundation during the opening days of fall camp. © Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Poll: Vikings Fans Expect a CB or S
Because draft season has unofficially begun for the 30 NFL teams eliminated this season, VikingsTerritory polled the audience this week, asking fans to predict the position of the first Vikings player drafted in April.
There wasn't much mystery. About three-fifths of respondents chose a defensive back, which is not surprising, since Minnesota arguably needs a cornerback and a safety for the long haul.
The poll was unscientific, and about 500 people voted.
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The CB Options
If fans have this right, and a corner is the pick, well, the Vikings are in sweet shape. Several rookie CBs fit team need, draft position, and maybe even best player available.
These options may be on the board at pick No. 18:
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Aveion Terrell (Clemson)
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Brandon Cisse (South Carolina)
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Colton Hood ( Tennessee )
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Jermod McCoy (Tennessee)
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Mansoor Delane (LSU)
Delane, at the moment, is considered the top corner in the draft. He could be gone by No. 18. Terrell, though, looks like a 1st-Round corner the moment one turns on the tape. He's 21, already comfortable playing through contact, and carries himself like someone who expects to win reps. At 5'11", 180, the size works because the play strength shows up. He stays attached in coverage, tracks the ball naturally, and finishes without hesitation.
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That profile explains the January mock draft momentum. With Delane widely projected as the first corner off the board, Terrell keeps landing in Minnesota across draft circles. There's a lot of time left — the NFL Combine and the usual reshuffle — but right now, Terrell sits in pole position.
A to Z Sports ' Tyler Forness on the Vikings' connection to Terrell: "Terrell has been an incredibly popular selection for the Vikings. He's been the top player in all mock drafts, raking up 30 of the 71 selections. He's one of the better cornerbacks in the class, and my personal CB1. He might be 5-11 and 180 pounds, but he plays much bigger than that. His ball skills are tremendous, and he won't ever back down from a fight."
"Not only does he have the fight in him, but Terrell thrives both inside and outside, something that Flores prioritizes in his defensive backs. The one concern that exists is his age. Terrell just turned 21 years old, and the only two cornerbacks the Vikings have selected with Flores as a defensive coordinator have been Mekhi Blackmon (24) and Khyree Jackson (24.5)."
How about Safety?
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Safety in Round 1 is less likely, mainly because safeties often aren't 1st-Round commodities. For now, these are the only safeties who may claw their way into Round 1, in addition to Ohio State's Caleb Downs , who is expected to fly off the draftboard in the Top 5 or Top 10 picks:
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Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo)
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Dillon Thieneman (Oregon)
McNeil-Warren shows up with the physical profile teams chase early. He's 6'2″, 202 pounds, runs in the mid-4.5s, and carries the kind of length and burst that translates immediately. The Toledo product built his reputation on creating turnovers, a pressure point Minnesota hasn't quite solved long-term.
Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren celebrates after stopping Louisville on third down as momentum swung on Dec 23, 2025, at Flagler CU Stadium in Boca Raton. The reaction followed a physical defensive stand, underscoring McNeil-Warren's impact and energy during the Boca Raton Bowl matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images
Thieneman could be fun, as well, but he's probably a 2nd-Rounder. SI.com 's Will Ragatz on Thieneman : "A three-star recruit out of Indiana in 2023, Thieneman began his college career at Purdue and was an instant success story on a bad team. As a true freshman, he was PFF's highest-graded safety in the nation at 89.5."
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"Listed at 6 feet tall and 205 pounds, Thieneman is a versatile safety who can line up all over the field and has a nose for the football. He'll trigger downhill aggressively in run defense, where he's a strong tackler (albeit one who could take better pursuit angles at times). In pass coverage, he uses his instincts and burst to fly around and make plays. Thieneman plays with a nonstop motor and reportedly has quite the work ethic off of the field. It'll be interesting to see how he tests at the combine."
All the Rest
Let's pretend the Vikings don't splurge for a defensive back. The rest of the realistic board at their spot might look like this:
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CJ Allen (Georgia)
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Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
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KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
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Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
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Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
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Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
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Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
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Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
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Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Peter Woods reacts after bringing down the quarterback during first-half action on Nov 23, 2024, at Memorial Stadium in Clemson. The sack punctuated a dominant defensive sequence, with Woods disrupting The Citadel's offense through strength, burst, and interior pressure. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images
Woods is probably the top prize here if one assumes the Vikings are still intent on building the defensive trenches. Styles is a stud, too.
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Starting interior offensive linemen — a center for the Vikings' purposes — can probably be drafted after Round 1.
