It's been a disappointing season for the Minnesota Vikings, who will miss the playoffs one year after winning 14 games. What's worse is that the quarterback Minnesota let walk in free agency, Sam Darnold, is potentially going to land the NFC's No. 1 overall seed with the Seattle Seahawks.
Minnesota's bet that J.J. McCarthy could take over and lead this team has had mixed results. The team is over .500 with McCarthy under center, but injuries have limited him to just nine games, and his 57.3 percent completion rate shouldn't inspire much confidence.
Is it too early for the Vikings to give up on McCarthy? Is it even possible to replace him in this draft? Let's take a look at what Minnesota might do with their first four picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Round 1, Pick 17: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
This is one of those cases where it'll be tough but not impossible for this player to fall into Minnesota's lap. There are three first-round corners in this class and more than three teams that need one, but I'm betting at least one of those teams does something else, letting Avieon Terrell drop to the Vikings at No. 17.
Minnesota's pass defense has played well this season, allowing the third-fewest passing yards and second-fewest touchdowns in the league, but some of that is about volume: The run defense's struggles coupled with the low-scoring offense has meant opposing teams simply haven't needed to pass much. Minnesota's opponents have attempted the fewest passes in the league.
Meanwhile, the Vikings only have three corners under contract next season, and Byron Murphy hasn't lived up to his big contract. This team needs to think not only about 2026, but about what their secondary looks like going forward. This solid performance in 2025 feels a bit like an illusion. Terrell can help fix that.
Round 2, Pick 48: LB Deontae Lawson, Alabama
Lnebackers Eric Wilson and Ivan Pace are free agents this offseason. Add in that Blake Cashman is approaching 30 and probably won't be around long term, and you can see why adding linebacker talent in the draft is a smart move.
Alabama's Deontae Lawson moves well and seems to have good coverage instincts. He's not the hardest hitter, so he might not be the best option to fix some of the team's run defense issues, but he can help pressure the quarterback on designed blitzes and can cover running backs when they're used in the pass game.
Round 3, Pick 79: OL Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
Aggies interior offensive lineman Chase Bisontis might not start immediately for the Vikings, but he would give them depth and flexibility, something this offensive line could use: Donovan Jackson and Will Fries should be your long-term starters at guard, but having a solid third one in house can benefit the team in case of injuries.
Bisontis isn't the strongest guard in the world, but he makes up for that by moving well for his size, and he could be really beneficial as a sub on certain plays where the team asks its guards to move outside to block on runs or screens.
Round 3, Pick 97: QB John Mateer, Oklahoma
Is McCarthy the answer for Minnesota? At this point, I lean toward "no," but with no path to get either Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore in this class, the team has to decide between three options: Draft Ty Simpson if he falls in the first round, roll with McCarthy and figure things out next year or split the difference by starting McCarthy but drafting an upside guy in the middle rounds.
We're going with option C here.
Oklahoma's John Mateer is perhaps the most intriguing quarterback prospect in this class. The tools are there. He has an arm that can deliver the ball anywhere. He can use his legs as a weapon. He's aggressive.
At the same time, Mateer just feels so raw still. He can throw the football a mile, but he struggles to consistently place it where it needs to go. He's aggressive to a fault, putting the ball at risk far too often instead of making the safe play and living to fight another day. He's probably going to get hurt based on how recklessly he runs with the ball.
Which is all to say that taking a shot here on Mateer intrigues me, because if he gets in the right system, he could develop into a starter by 2027 in the event that McCarthy can't figure things out. If McCarthy does prove he can be a long-term starter, then all you're out is a third-round compensatory pick — which sucks, but it isn't the end of the world. Plus, as raw as Mateer is, I'd rather have him over Max Brosmer if McCarthy got injured again next season.