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Jeremiah Mock Draft 2.0 - supafreak84 - 02-18-2026
https://www.nfl.com/news/daniel-jeremiah-2026-nfl-mock-draft-2-0
I mean, these guys are just bound and determined to have us draft a safety even if it's a massive reach. They've only been wrong for going on a decade now, so what's another year?
RE: Jeremiah Mock Draft 2.0 - StickierBuns - 02-18-2026
Yep, its always safety. Or corner. Perceived need + too lazy to look deeper = safety. Plus, Minnesota will be on ignore most of the offseason and preseason as their chances have been dismissed because JJM is a 'dumpster fire', so they aren't a team that will get more than a cursory review in mock drafts. Especially at the very BORING #18 spot.
RE: Jeremiah Mock Draft 2.0 - IceRatz16 - 02-18-2026
Haha, they’re not completely off base...we do need to find a long-term replacement for Harrison Smith.
Josh Metellus is more of a Swiss-army-knife type who brings steady reliability, similar to Ben Leber, not flashy, but dependable. What we’re still missing is that true field general at safety who can quarterback the defense the way Harry did.
tavike shared a trade simulator on another Vikings board, and I went down the rabbit hole with it yesterday. You only get three free tries per day, but I managed to swing a deal sending Greenard and pick #18 to Tennessee for Simmons and the #4 pick, then grabbed Caleb Downs without hesitation.
If the Vikings could somehow land Downs in real life, that position could be locked down for years, maybe even decades, just like it was with Harry.
RE: Jeremiah Mock Draft 2.0 - supafreak84 - 02-18-2026
(02-18-2026, 09:46 AM)IceRatz16 Wrote: Haha, they’re not completely off base...we do need to find a long-term replacement for Harrison Smith.
Josh Metellus is more of a Swiss-army-knife type who brings steady reliability, similar to Ben Leber, not flashy, but dependable. What we’re still missing is that true field general at safety who can quarterback the defense the way Harry did.
tavike shared a trade simulator on another Vikings board, and I went down the rabbit hole with it yesterday. You only get three free tries per day, but I managed to swing a deal sending Greenard and pick #18 to Tennessee for Simmons and the #4 pick, then grabbed Caleb Downs without hesitation.
If the Vikings could somehow land Downs in real life, that position could be locked down for years, maybe even decades, just like it was with Harry.
I like Downs, but if we are trading up that high, I'd take Jeremiyah Love with zero hesitation. I like where you were going though with that trade up because it makes a lot of sense. This isn't a super loaded draft class, so if you identify a talent that ypu can move up for and it makes you substantially better, go get that player because it might not cost you as much to do so as it normally would.
RE: Jeremiah Mock Draft 2.0 - MaroonBells - 02-18-2026
I don't think the goal of a mock draft is to be original or contrarian. Vikings obviously need a safety and they have us taking a safety. This shouldn't cause anyone too much emotional distress.
One thing I've discovered about the way the Vikings have drafted the last few years is that they're not a "next guy on the list" kind of team. They want their guys and their guys only. It might be an arrogant way of drafting, but I think "fit" is more important to them than it might be for other teams. For example, we needed a safety last year too. We were targeting to Xavier Watts in the 3rd round. Falcons traded up one pick ahead of us and took him. Instead of taking the next safety on the board, we didn't take one at all the rest of the draft.
RE: Jeremiah Mock Draft 2.0 - Canthony - 02-18-2026
When it is all said and done, I think the end of the 1st round will look very different.
RE: Jeremiah Mock Draft 2.0 - StickierBuns - 02-18-2026
#18 is prime BPA territory. That probably won't be a fan favorite, but might be the best way to go.
RE: Jeremiah Mock Draft 2.0 - IceRatz16 - 02-18-2026
(02-18-2026, 10:13 AM)MaroonBells Wrote: I don't think the goal of a mock draft is to be original or contrarian. Vikings obviously need a safety and they have us taking a safety. This shouldn't cause anyone too much emotional distress.
One thing I've discovered about the way the Vikings have drafted the last few years is that they're not a "next guy on the list" kind of team. They want their guys and their guys only. It might be an arrogant way of drafting, but I think "fit" is more important to them than it might be for other teams. For example, we needed a safety last year too. We were targeting to Xavier Watts in the 3rd round. Falcons traded up one pick ahead of us and took him. Instead of taking the next safety on the board, we didn't take one at all the rest of the draft.
I'm still bummed we missed out on Watts. Do you know for sure this was the next pick for the Vikings? If so, how?
RE: Jeremiah Mock Draft 2.0 - MaroonBells - 02-18-2026
(02-18-2026, 11:34 AM)IceRatz16 Wrote: I'm still bummed we missed out on Watts. Do you know for sure this was the next pick for the Vikings? If so, how?
Nothing definitive, but I think the report originated from Darren Wolfson.
Reports from the 2025 Draft cycle indicate that the Vikings were targeting Watts in the third round as a potential long-term replacement for veteran Harrison Smith. The Atlanta Falcons traded up with the Philadelphia Eagles to select Watts with the No. 96 overall pick.
The Vikings' Reaction: Minnesota held a pick shortly after Atlanta's selection but chose to trade down once Watts was off the board.
RE: Jeremiah Mock Draft 2.0 - IceRatz16 - 02-18-2026
(02-18-2026, 10:03 AM)supafreak84 Wrote: I like Downs, but if we are trading up that high, I'd take Jeremiyah Love with zero hesitation. I like where you were going though with that trade up because it makes a lot of sense. This isn't a super loaded draft class, so if you identify a talent that ypu can move up for and it makes you substantially better, go get that player because it might not cost you as much to do so as it normally would.
Would you rather have Breece Hall and Caleb Downs or Jeremiyah Love and some other S in the draft/FA?
I'd prefer Hall and Downs. Downs is the ideal S and most likely have a longer career than any RB. Hall would be an ideal RB for this offense, IMO.