After what was a fairly quiet free agency period, the Minnesota Vikings are in a fairly strong position heading into the 2026 NFL Draft later this month.
However, at least with regards to the team’s fortunes in the immediate future, two positions of need stick out like a sore thumb: defensive line and cornerback.
Outside of tweener Keldric Faulk, who has edge rusher/3-4 defensive end dual capabilities, there are few options for the Vikings to pursue on the interior of the line, at least early on in the draft.
Yet at corner the Vikings have multiple options to go with in the first couple of rounds of the draft, from Mansoor Delane (who will probably be off the board by the time the Vikings select at #18), to Jermod McCoy and Chris Johnson.
But according to The Athletic’s Alec Lewis, Minnesota are actually unlikely to address the position early on in the draft.
Vikings Expected to Continue Corner Drafting Tradition
“The Vikings haven’t used a first- or second-round pick on a cornerback since Flores arrived, and I don’t expect them to start now, especially after signing free agent James Pierre.” Lewis wrote on April 14, in a piece examining what direction the team might go in with their first round draft pick, if they decide to not take a safety.
Since then, Lewis has subsequently posited that wideout – or perhaps more likely, tackle – are potential position groups that could be added to in the first two rounds of the draft instead.
“The [offensive] tackle position caused headaches throughout the 2025 season.” Lewis noted on April 16. “There are also plenty of prospects at both positions that align with where the Vikings are picking. A first-round receiver is less likely than a first-round tackle.”
Why Would the Vikings Decide to Not Pick a Corner Early On?
The implication of the piece is that defensive coordinator Brian Flores is behind the strategic decision to not add corners early on in the draft, presumably given his perceived ability to make do with lower round draft picks at the position.
Much of that ideology comes from Flores’ blitz-heavy scheme that forces opposing quarterbacks to get the ball out quickly, necessitating less coverage time from defensive backs.
So far that theory has worked, the Vikings had the #1 total passing defense in football in 2025, conceding an average of just 158.5 passing yards per game..
And perhaps in support of that idea has been the disappointment of some the team’s more recent early-round draft picks including Andrew Booth Jr.; the last corner Minnesota selected in the first two rounds of the draft back in 2022; who started just 4 games for the franchise before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys.
Still, a tandem of James Pierre and Isaiah Rodgers on the perimeter of the secondary will hardly inspire vast amounts of confidence, and it could be that 2026 is the year that this short drafting streak finally comes to an end.
Vikings Not Expected to Spend First Two Picks On Clear Position of Need