On Thursday, news broke that the Minnesota Vikings would be signing Kyler Murray, and this was something that was widely expected. Murray now heads to his second NFL team after being cut by the Arizona Cardinals, and if there were ever a quarterback to breakout and perhaps follow that Sam Darnold/Baker Mayfield career path, it's Murray.
To be fair to the former no. 1 overall pick, the Cardinals never really established a consistent culture of winning, and while a top quarterback is in theory supposed to do that, the Cards are largely a dysfunctional franchise, so Murray is going to blossom in Minnesota, in my opinion.
Now that this move will soon be official, let's dive into a Vikings mock draft and see how the front office could approach things.
Minnesota Vikings mock draft now that Kyler Murray enters the equation
18. Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
The Vikings defensive line is all of a sudden pretty barren, as both Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave are on new teams already. Allen signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, and Hargrave is now with the Green Bay Packers.
Enter, Peter Woods. Woods is a schematically versatile defensive tackle, is the best player on the board at this point, and is also someone who fills a massive position of need.
49. Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
Eli Stowers might come into the NFL as one of the most athletic players, period. His testing at the NFL Combine was off the charts, and while he's not going to offer much in the way of blocking, his receiving ability could make him an instant threat on offense.
82. Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska
The Vikings probably need to add another running back, so they take Emmett Johnson from Nebraska at pick 82 and have given Murray two shiny, new rookies in what is clearly an effort to build around their new quarterback.
97. Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
Here's a write-up of Ted Hurst from Lance Zierlein:
"Long-legged, vertical-minded wideout with the speed and ability to stress corners from snap to whistle. Hurst is quick to beat press and hit the accelerator into his route work. He has the hips, feet and balance to run a more robust route tree than what we saw from him in college. He’s an above-average ball-tracker deep and a dangerous catch-and-run option. The hands are average and he needs to become more assertive on 50/50 balls on all three levels. Hurst appears capable of surviving the jump in competition and projects as a “Z” receiver with quality upside."
There is starting-caliber upside with Hurst despite playing for a smaller school in Georgia State. The Vikings could do a lot worse with this pick.
163. Charlie Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin
Now adding to the secondary, the Vikings take one of two cornerbacks in this mock draft and first grab Charlie Demmings from Stephen F. Austin. Sometimes, teams simply need to draft for need, and I'll maintain that.
196. Andre Fuller, CB, Toledo
Andre Fuller is the next cornerback off the board for the Vikings. Keep in mind that Toledo has recently produced some notable defensive backs in Quinyon Mitchell and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, a first-round caliber safety this year.
234. Albert Regis, DT, Texas A&M
Back to the defensive line, the Vikings take Albert Regis from Texas A&M. In 2025, Regis had two sacks and 49 total tackles. Not only do the Vikings need more starters along the defensive line, but they need some depth, too.
235. Anez Cooper, OG, Miami (FL)
Flipping to the trenches on the offensive side of the ball, the Vikings now take Anez Cooper from Miami (FL). With Ryan Kelly retiring, the interior of the offensive line could use some help.
244. Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois
There might not be a very good chance that Luke Altmyer develops into more than a backup quarterback, but what if he's the next Brock Purdy? For a team that does not have a long-term answer at the position, this is a pick worth making.