
McInnes, McGlynn and Naysmith nominated for SPFL manager of year
Derek McInnes, John McGlynn, and Gary Naysmith nominated for SPFL manager of the year!
The Vikings made nine picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, focusing on defense with five selections, including trades for additional picks. Key players drafted include first-rounder Caleb Banks and running back Demond Claiborne, while the team also took a center with their last pick.
The Vikings had nine picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. They made three trades, took five defensive players and four offensive playersâincluding four linemen, two running backs, two in the secondary and no wide receivers (although grabbed four undrafted wideouts). They took a center with their last pick in the draft (which was arguably counterintuitive to their needs) and they selected an interior defensive lineman who has broken his foot twice in the past season. Just like we all drew it up, right?
Well, not exactly. Which is probably the overwhelming thought emanating from Purple Nation draftniks throughout the land. The Vikings came in with many needsâand as was the previous GMâs wontâmaneuvered around the board trading picks and players. The biggest trade, and likely most expected, was the swapping of edge rusher Jonathan Greenard and a 2027 7th-rounder with Philadelphia for a 3rd-round pick in this draft and another 3rd-rounder in the 2027 draft. We knew it was coming, but that didnât make it any easy to swallow.
So, was first-rounder Caleb Banks âmoney in the bankâ or a risk too great to take? (After all, the team picked up another interior DL with the name of Domonique Orange and the moniker of âBig Citrus.â Perhaps Orange was taken as insurance against another broken metatarsal bone for Banks or, perhaps, scurvy.) Did their round selection of safety Jakobe Thomas from Miami come soon enough or will Harrison Smith have to return for another season to mentor him? Is running back Demond Claiborne from Wake Forest the homerun hitter they need in the backfield, and will fullback Max Bredeson from Michigan be a great replacement for or just a locker room pal to his former teammate ? Is punter , taken with the international player roster exemption as an undrafted player, the punter of the future or just another interesting story?
The Vikings traded edge rusher Jonathan Greenard and a 2027 7th-round pick to Philadelphia for a 3rd-round pick in the 2026 draft and another 3rd-rounder in 2027.
Notable selections include first-rounder Caleb Banks, running back Demond Claiborne, and safety Jakobe Thomas from Miami.
The Vikings drafted five defensive players and four offensive players, including four linemen and two running backs.

Derek McInnes, John McGlynn, and Gary Naysmith nominated for SPFL manager of the year!

Dan Orlovsky discusses the challenges of critiquing QBs more successful than himself.

Join FC Bayern's fight against blood cancer: Register as a stem cell donor!
Pistons down 3-1 to Magic, facing elimination in playoffs
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
Time will tell on these players, but that wonât keep the fellas at the Vikings Territory Breakdown podcastâJoe Oberle, senior writer at vikingsterritory.com and purplePTSD.com, and Mark Craig, NFL and Vikings writer for the Star Tribune and startribune.comâfrom trying to answer these and other draft questions. In fact, you might want to tune in and see how we thought acting GM Rob Brzezinski did managing the draft. The draft grades are in. Skol!