After months of analysis, speculation, rumors and debate (and more rumors) the 2025 NFL draft has officially come and gone. The Minnesota Vikings entered Thursday night with just four total picks and after a few trades throughout day two and three, they finished the draft with five total selections. Minnesota added some pieces that will no doubt help first time starter JJ McCarthy on the offensive side of the ball along with a few later-round picks on defense as well.
Donovan Jackson – OL, Ohio State
With the 24th overall pick, the Vikings selected offensive guard Donovan Jackson out of Ohio State. With some intriguing defensive prospects still on the board like cornerback Will Johnson and safety Malaki Starks, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah opted to fill the last hole remaining on the Vikings’ offensive line. Jackson showed flexibility last season, shifting from his usual spot at left guard to left tackle after Josh Simmons sustained an injury halfway through the season. It’s hard to blame Minnesota for using their first round pick to make McCarthy’s life easier, and this addition will contribute to what may be the best line the Vikings have had since Brett Favre wore purple and gold.
Grade: A
Tai Felton – WR, Maryland
After a trade back to the end of the third round, Minnesota decided to address an area of need that was not at the forefront of most pre-draft talking points but was still important nonetheless by selecting Tai Felton, a speedy receiver out of Maryland at pick 102. Standing at 6 foot 1 with 4.3 speed, Felton earned himself a 9.61 RAS score which is some welcome athleticism to an already stacked receiver room. With kick-returning experience under his belt as well, the Maryland product could find his way to making some serious contributions both on offense and special teams in the upcoming 2025 season.
Grade: A
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins – DL, Georgia
Following in the footsteps of their offseason plans, Minnesota added a developmental defensive lineman at pick 139 by selecting Georgia player Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. Looking at the age of recent signings Jonathen Allen and Javon Hargraves, this pick makes sense. Akin to Dallas Turner last season, Tyrion will not be expected to make a huge immediate impact but will be able to slowly adjust to the NFL level by learning behind two proven veterans. Ingram-Dawkins has the tools to succeed, it is just a matter of refining those tools to reach his true potential.
Grade: B
Kobe King – LB, Penn State
Adofo-Mensah opted to go for the value pick over reaching for positional need when he selected linebacker Kobe King with the 201st pick. King was projected to go somewhere around the fourth round but Minnesota was able to select him in the sixth. The Nittany Lion is your classic middle linebacker type of prospect, large frame standing at 6 foot 1, 236 pounds and loves to get his nose dirty in the run game. Although he tends to be a liability in pass coverage, the former team captain can play his role on defense and special teams at a potentially high level and add value to an already stout Vikings defense.
Grade: B+
Gavin Bartholomew – TE, Pittsburgh
In the immediate next pick, the Vikings selected Gavin Bartholomew, a 6 foot 5 tight end out of Pitt. In contrast to their last pick, it would be fair to say this feels more like a reach. After Johnny Mundt’s departure to the Jaguars, Minnesota needed to find a 3rd tight end option and that’s where this pick comes into play. Bartholomew was projected to be a fringe seventh round pick/undrafted free agent but with no picks remaining, the Vikings opted to draft the tight end at 202. The Pitt tight end shows flashes in the receiving game but will need to work on run blocking if he wants to work his way into consistent snaps on O’Connell’s offense.
Grade: C+
Final Grade
Overall, the Minnesota Vikings made good use of their limited draft capital in this years draft. They added pieces that should help young quarterback JJ McCarthy on his first year journey and they added developmental players on the defensive side of the ball that could grow into a larger role once the veterans in front of them move on.
Overall Draft Grade: B
