The 2026 NFL Draft will arrive in about 2.5 weeks, and the Minnesota Vikings are anxious to know the outcome of the team’s first few picks, as interim general manager Rob Brzezinski has four selections in the Top 10. But what if he swerves? Always remember — the Atlanta Falcons drafted Michael Penix about six weeks after signing Kirk Cousins two years ago.

Minnesota has several sneaky draft paths that could catch fans and analysts off guard.

Here’s a look at the realistic curveballs Minnesota could throw at you in the draft.

A Few Unexpected Draft Moves Remain in Play for Minnesota

Ranked in no particular order, this is the sneaky stuff Minnesota might have up its sleeve.

1. Trading Up for RB Jeremiyah Love

Love would make the Vikings’ offense unstoppable; let’s get that out there. With Kyler Murray in the house, the sky is the limit for Kevin O’Connell’s scheme, and landing Love would change everything about the franchise. It’s O’Connell’s ticket to changing a pass-happy offense into a balanced killer.

The trade, however, won’t be cheap. To get Love, whether at pick No. 4, No. 6, or No. 10, the Vikings will have to surrender their 18th pick, a 2nd-Rounder, and perhaps a 3rd-Rounder. If they love Love, it might be worth it.

2. Drafting TE Kenyon Sadiq at No. 18

At 6’3″ and 245 pounds, Sadiq is still 21, allowing him ample time to develop compared to other prospects. Across 42 games at Oregon, he logged 80 receptions for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns. Highlighting his athleticism, Oregon also used him as a kick returner in ’23 and ’24.

Sadiq’s versatility sets him apart as a potential first-round pick. His capacity to catch passes and block for both runners and quarterbacks is a rare combination for a tight end his age.

TE1 T.J. Hockenson will be a free agent next offseason. There’s absolutely no reason the Vikings or the team’s fans should say, “We have Hockenson; we don’t need a tight end.”

Embracing the best player available mindet, Minnesota could take the plunge with Sadiq at No. 18. The coaching staff won’t regret it.

3. Trading Jonathan Greenard, Jordan Addison, or J.J. McCarthy

A Greenard trade has been rumored for over a month. If he wants a contract over $30 million per season, Minnesota might have to trade him for budgetary purposes. After all, Micah Parsons earns $46 million per year in Green Bay. Greenard’s at $19 million. Quite the variance. The Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles have evidently been side-eyeing Greenard’s trade price for weeks.

Then, an Addison trade is unlikely after exercising his fifth-year option this week. But what if a team dangled a 1st-Rounder, which Minnesota could parley into Jordyn Tyson or Omar Cooper? Would you do it?

On McCarthy, teams like the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals need long-term quarterback fixes, or at least plans in that direction. If Minnesota could pry loose a 2nd-Rounder or 3rd-Rounder for McCarthy, Brzezinski would have to listen.

4. Picking a WR at No. 18

Jalen Nailor now works for the Las Vegas Raiders. He was the Vikings’ WR3 in 2024 and 2025. On deck as his replacement? Tai Felton — who barely played at all on offense as a rookie last year.

On top of those factoids, Addison’s legal problems (the WR2) are troublesome. He could be arrested at any minute, sending the Vikings’ offensive planning into disarray. That’s just a fear the Vikings must live with by now.

Pretend Minnesota let Nailor walk because it planned to spend a 1st-Rounder on a new wide receiver. These players could be on the board at No. 18:

• Makai Lemon (USC)
• Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)
• Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana)
• KC Concepcion (Texas A&M)
• Denzel Boston (Washington)

The Vikings do one single thing really, really well throughout the last four decades: draft fantastic wide receivers. Maybe they’ll shock the world and do it again. After all, O’Connell is an offensively minded head coach (and now the default Team CEO).

5. Choosing an EDGE in Round 1

The deepest spot on the Vikings’ roster, less than three weeks from the draft? Outside linebacker. These men headline the group:

• Jonathan Greenard
• Andrew Van Ginkel
• Dallas Turner

Still, drafting an EDGE cannot be ruled out because Greenard is evidently on the trade block to some extent, and Van Ginkel will be a free agent next offseason.

These are the names to keep in mind:

• Keldric Faulk (Auburn)
• Akheem Mesidor (Miami)
• T.J. Parker (Clemson)
• Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)
• Zion Young (Missouri)

The Vikings have drafted one EDGE rusher in Round 1 in the last 20 years: the aforementioned Turner. Adding another isn’t the worst idea in the world; fans rarely complain about their favorite team having “too many good OLBs.”

Newlook, the import from France, registered his first Australian triumph through a tenacious staying run, winning the Group 2 $300,000 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Trained by Trent Busuttin alongside Natalie Young, Newlook had posted no placings from five prior Australian appearances, but the soft track suited him to dominate.

His Chairman’s Quality score bolsters prospects in the upcoming Group 1 $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick next Saturday.

The Chairman’s spoils include Sydney Cup ballot exemption and no penalty, so Newlook enters on a plum 50kg mark.

A $8.50 chance with Rachel King aboard, Newlook powered home down the track’s centre, scoring by 1¼ lengths ahead of Campaldino ($7) who was the same clear of Juja Kibo ($3.70 equal favourite), from Travolta ($3.70 equal favourite) in fourth spot close up. King took heart from Newlook’s late surge to fifth last time in the Manion Cup.

“I was confident he would take good improvement from his last start, he was only second up there,” King said.

“He still probably blew out at the 50m, I thought I was going to win easy at the furlong but he just got a little bit tired.’

“But he’ll take good improvement again, I galloped him during the week and was confident he would run well over this distance.”

A Chairman’s Quality-Sydney Cup double would make Newlook the 10th such achiever, after Circle Of Fire (2024), The Offer (2014), Jessicabeel (2010), No Wine No Song (2008), Henderson Bay (2002), Linesman (1997), King Aussie (1990), Major Drive (1987) and Marooned (1986).

Last June’s Brisbane Cup conqueror Campaldino proved on song for the Sydney Cup courtesy of his determined second.

Campaldino conveniently drops to 52.5kg from 59kg for the 3200m Randwick feature next week.

Rider Tim Clark admired Campaldino’s recent Sydney Cup pipe-opener.

“He bounced back to form today,” Clark said.”Then next Saturday with a few kilos less he is going to be hard to beat.”

Craig Williams on Ciaron Maher’s Juja Kibo expects sharpening for the 2026 Sydney Cup.

“He has run really well again and ahead of his ‘Grand Final’ next week,” Williams said. “It is all part of Ciaron’s preparation with today’s run into the Cup in seven days.’”

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Chennai Super Kings’ captain Ruturaj Gaikwad (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted his own failure at the top hurt Chennai Super Kings as they slumped to a heavy loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, elaborating on key moments in the post-match press conference. CSK were rocked early in the chase of 250, collapsing to 30 for 3 after losing Ruturaj, Sanju Samson and Ayush Mhatre. That early damage proved decisive despite a spirited response later. Reflecting on the fightback, Ruturaj said in the post-match conference: “Well, even I was surprised, to be honest. Great fight by Sarfaraz, Prashant Veer, Jamie Overton, even to some extent Shivam Dube. So I think, maybe I would have, contributed more top of the order, you never know, we would have chased it down. So definitely it’s on me today.” He highlighted how the efforts of Sarfaraz Khan, Prashant Veer and Jamie Overton kept CSK in the contest briefly, but admitted the game had already slipped due to the poor start. Ruturaj also elaborated on a crucial moment in the field that could have shifted momentum. Virat Kohli was dropped early, and RCB capitalised fully. Speaking about that phase, he said: “We would have had, as you rightly said, if we would have taken early chance of Virat Kohli, I think that was, I mean, maybe we would have had momentum to ourselves. But I think, we still had the game in our hands till the 13th, 14th over, and that’s when the momentum really shifted.” That shift came dramatically at the death, when Tim David tore into the CSK attack. Ruturaj pointed out that they almost had an opportunity to dismiss him earlier. On that moment, he said in the press conference: “Well, you’re right, KP. I think, Anshul almost got a wicket of him. Unfortunate to be illegal delivery, but yeah, after that, he just smacked all around the park and, as you rightly said, hats off to him.” RCB’s late surge, powered by Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar and David, took the game away completely. For Ruturaj, the takeaway was clear. Missed chances, an underwhelming start with the bat, and a brutal finish from the opposition combined to seal CSK’s fate.

Manchester United look to sell Uruguayan midfielder, Real Madrid forward sparks Premier League interest, Liverpool eye swap deal.

Manchester United could look to offload midfielder Manuel Ugarte, 24, this summer, with Newcastle, Aston Villa and Juventus among the clubs interested. (Caught Offside, external)

United, along with Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, are among the clubs who have been contacted about the potential availability of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, 25. (Teamtalk, external)

Liverpool may look to trade Mo Salah for Al Hilal’s Brazilian forward Marcus Leonardo, 22. (Give Me Sport, external)

Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana, 24, could be set for a big money move away from the club, with Manchester United among his suitors. (Football Insider, external)

Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic, 19, currently on loan at Hamburg, has suggested he could return to White Hart Lane despite interest from major clubs in Europe. (The Standard, external)

Chelsea could turn to Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs, 23, to replace incumbent number one Robert Sanchez. (Teamtalk, external)

Bayer Leverkusen will try to retain star forward Yan Diomande, 19, with a deal for a further year, despite numerous clubs being interested in signing the Ivorian. (Fabrizio Romano, external)

Lucknow Super Giants’ captain Rishabh Pant, right, with Mohammed Shami (PTI Photo)

Mohammed Shami delivered a clinical spell to guide Lucknow Super Giants to a five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad, later explaining the tactical shift behind his success. The veteran pacer returned outstanding figures of 2 for 9 in his four overs, including a remarkable 18 dot balls, setting the tone early as LSG ripped through SRH’s top order. The hosts eventually recovered to 156 for 9, but the total never looked enough. Speaking after being named Player of the Match, Shami revealed that his decision to rely more on slower deliveries came from observing trends from the previous season. “Last year I was here, a lot of slower balls were bowled. That was in my mind, the bowlers and the opponents bowled a lot of slower balls, so I thought why not I try it too,” Shami said at the post-match presentation. His impact was immediate. Shami struck in the opening over to remove Abhishek Sharma for a duck and soon sent back Travis Head, leaving SRH rattled early. Ishan Kishan also fell cheaply, as the innings spiralled during the Powerplay. At 22 for 3 and then 26 for 4, SRH were staring at a collapse before Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen stitched together a crucial 116-run stand to revive the innings. Shami stressed that the victory was important after a setback in the previous game and spoke about the need to maintain rhythm and fitness through consistent cricket. “We are very happy because we had lost the previous match at home, so it was very important for us to win this match to build momentum. Once you get that start, the winning momentum continues. (on his preparation for this IPL) If you like cricket, and if you want to play at any level, then it is important to be in touch with the game,” Shami said. He also underlined the importance of preparation and adaptability, highlighting how staying match-ready helped him execute his plans effectively. “If you want to perform at a good level, it’s very important to maintain your fitness. First, you have to be fit then you can show your skill. Regarding domestic cricket, my plan was to be in touch with the game, so that I can be in the flow. That’s why I played all the matches. (on his changes to his bowling today) Without skill and without experience, nothing works. It’s about quickly adapting to the conditions and reading them is very important,” he added. Despite SRH’s late recovery, LSG stayed in control during the chase, with the skipper leading from the front with an unbeaten 68 to seal a comfortable win.

Kym Davison, the trainer from Albury, has savored his maiden city triumph on a premier occasion of the Sydney autumn carnival in 2026, accomplishing it almost accidentally.

Davison intended for his up-and-coming three-year-old Autumn Break to participate in the $1 million Country Championships Final (1400m), though the horse was excluded from the field.

He acted as a standby instead, and obligated to stay in Sydney for any possible withdrawals, Davison elected to pay the entry fee for the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) as a fallback option.

“First city winner, so not a bad one to crack the ice with,” Davison said.

“I was hoping to be in the next race, but great consolation.

“I saw this race and said, ‘well, we’re going up there anyway, so we’ll go and have a throw at the stumps’.”

Autumn Break ($8) duly obliged, prevailing by a nose over Kilman ($31) prepared by Chris Waller, who controlled the race until the final stride, as Matias ($6.50) trailed by a short head for third.

The result offered solace in a distressing phase for the Davison household, with Kym’s brother succumbing to his illness just a week prior.

“It’s been a hard week. We lost my brother a week ago,” he said.

“He had been unwell for a while. But you’ve got to pick yourself up.”

Davison, managing eight horses in his Albury stable, will now spell Autumn Break with intentions of targeting The Kosciuszko (1200m) early in his next campaign in October.

“The Kosciuszko, he’d go alright in that,” he said.

“His first start was over 1200, and he should have won that Highway (Handicap) here, that was 1200 first-up, so we’ll try to push onto that if we can.”

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Even in a crushing 43-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Chennai Super Kings quietly ticked off a major milestone that adds an interesting layer to the evolving scoring trends in the IPL.Most 200-plus totals in the IPL37 – CSK36 – RCB33 – PBKS32 – MI30 – KKRCSK’s 207 all out while chasing 250 at the Chinnaswamy took them to 37 totals of 200-plus in IPL history, the most by any team. They have now edged past RCB, who are on 36, with Punjab Kings (33), Mumbai Indians (32) and Kolkata Knight Riders (30) following behind.What makes the stat intriguing is the timing. In an era where 200-plus scores are becoming increasingly common and often not enough to guarantee wins, CSK’s record came in a match where they were comprehensively outplayed. Chasing a massive 250, they still managed to cross 200, but the gap in quality and execution was evident throughout the contest.The night belonged entirely to RCB’s power-packed batting unit. Devdutt Padikkal laid the platform with a well-paced 50, but it was the late assault that completely blew the game open. Rajat Patidar and Tim David dismantled the CSK bowling attack with a ruthless fourth-wicket stand. Patidar’s unbeaten 48 off 19 balls and David’s brutal 70 off 25 lifted RCB to a towering 250 for 3, with 97 runs coming in the last five overs.In response, CSK never really found stability. Early wickets left them struggling at 30 for 3, and the chase was effectively over in the powerplay itself. Sarfaraz Khan showed intent with a quick half-century, while useful contributions from the lower middle order helped them go past 200, but the target remained far out of reach. The match summed up the modern IPL perfectly. Big scores are frequent, momentum shifts quickly, and even crossing 200 does not carry the same weight it once did. On this occasion, CSK ended up on the wrong side of the result, but still moved to the top of a high-scoring chart that continues to grow with every season.

The decision on whether Gin Twist forges ahead to another start or enters a spell phase hinges on her performance in a track gallop.

Lindsay Park’s two-year-old filly is a potential runner in Saturday’s Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, contingent on a satisfying showing in Monday’s gallop.

She was the hot favourite dispatched in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Flemington March 28, leading early before stopping to take third.

Ben, Will and J D Hayes prepare Gin Twist, who was accounted for by more than three lengths by the Sydney mare Satono Glow.

Ben Hayes mentioned optimism surrounds the filly’s readiness for Saturday, as she exhibits no adverse aftereffects from the race.

“We’ll make a decision on Monday whether she runs or not after she does some work,” Hayes said.

“We feel that one, she raced a bit fresh last week and two, she didn’t handle the heavy track, but she has pulled up fine.

“It is a good opportunity for her and if she doesn’t work well, we won’t run her, but if she works well, we’ll run her.”

The filly had previously claimed the Listed Festival Stakes (1000m) victory at Flemington on February 28, and was next in line as third emergency for Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21.

Lindsay Park refrained from interstate travel for her, aware a start was improbable.

Hayes is of the view that Gin Twist copes with 1200m and merits another attempt on a good track.

“I think she is a very fast horse, and 1200 metres is her limit,” Hayes said.

“But it is hard to judge her off that run over 1200 metres, which was down the straight, and on a heavy eight (track).

“We can find out if she can the trip and then we’ll know how to place her next prep.”

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