8 Players to Watch for the Vikings at Pick No. 49

The Minnesota Vikings ended the Round 1 mystery on Thursday night, selecting defensive tackle Caleb Banks from Florida, a boom-or-bust defender with All-Pro upside — and recent injury history. While fans debate the merits of that pick, it’s time to look ahead to Friday night, when Minnesota will make its first 2nd-Round draft selection in four years.

Friday night brings a clean board and several realistic paths.

The following is a list of players who are the most realistic to end up with the Vikings at Pick No. 49.

DB and Pass-Catcher Stand Out after Minnesota’s 1st-Round Surprise

A peek at Friday night for the purple team. No. 1 = most realistic Vikings pick.

8. Eli Stowers (TE, Vanderbilt)

Minnesota missed out on Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq — the New York Jets ruined that dream — but Stowers would be a sweet consolation prize. Unlike Sadiq, Stowers doesn’t run-block as much as the Vikings’ coaching staff would probably like, but he’s a gifted athlete with a wide receiver’s hands.

If Minnesota wants to prepare for life after T.J. Hockenson in 2027 or 2028, Stowers should be the 2nd-Round pick.

7. Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee)

McCoy didn’t hear his name called Thursday night, a downer for the Volunteer, whose draft stock was probably ravaged by injury concerns. McCoy didn’t play in 2025 due to a torn ACL.

When he’s healthy, McCoy is a Top 15 pick. There’s a chance that he falls to No. 49.

6. Jake Golday (LB, Cincinnati)

Golday has a lean frame, but that’s about the only knock on his game. He has the height (6’5″) and speed (4.62) to be a problem in the NFL. Golday is as durable as they come, and he played a ton of college football at Central Arkansas and Cincinnati.

He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors in 2025. The Bearcat should be on the board for the Vikings in Round 2. Golday and Vikings’ ILB3 Ivan Pace Jr. attended the same college.

5. Anthony Hill Jr. (LB, Texas)

The Vikings’ starting linebackers, Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson, will be over 30 when the regular season kicks off. If they want speed and youth — Hill Jr. is 21 — this Longhorn should be the pick. Cashman is basically guaranteed to miss at least four games per season due to injury, and no one is too sure if Wilson’s success in 2025 was a flash in the pan.

Hill Jr. is a turnover-forcing menace.

4. Germie Bernard (WR, Alabama)

Beyond Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, the Vikings’ WR receiver depth quickly thins. Tai Felton is still attempting to carve out an offensive role after a rookie year spent primarily on special teams, which has probably created a clear opportunity for another receiver.

Felton’s development is a key factor. Minnesota invested a 3rd-Round pick in him last year, typically signifying an expectation for early contributions, yet his offensive role failed to materialize. How the team interprets this — whether as a planned redshirt year or a misjudgment — will determine their aggressiveness in pursuing another receiver.

If the team decides to add another receiver, Bernard presents a compelling option. Last season, he demonstrated consistent production in a major program, recording 862 yards on 64 catches and 9 touchdowns.

Physically, Bernard stands at 6’1,” 200 pounds, with 4.48 speed. He offers polished route-running, reliable hands, and strong deep-ball tracking. While his long speed is considered average, Kyler Murray and Co. could benefit from improving his contested-catch ability.

3. Brandon Cisse (DB, South Carolina)

Here’s what to know about Cisse:

• He’s 20. Youth, youth, and more youth.
• He has 4.33 speed.
• He can play inside and outside in Brian Flores’s defense.
• He loves playing man-to-man coverage.

The only downside? He’s 5’11” and 189 pounds. The rest is a fit for the Vikings’ defense.

2. Treydan Stukes (CB, Arizona)

Unlike Cisse, Stukes is old for a rookie. He’ll be 25 when the regular season gets rolling. That could be a non-starter for many teams. Some players at that age are negotiating contract extensions beyond their rookie deal.

Still, Stukes could be deployed in Flores’s defense as a cornerback or safety. He has that much versatility. Stukes is also known for his work ethic and can be perceived as a “locker room guy,” like Minnesota’s Round 1 pick (Banks).

1. Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)

Minnesota has long sought a young cornerback to secure a starting role. That search continues, and Hood appears to be a strong candidate to finally fill that need. Turning 21 this year, he possesses the outside cornerback skills highly valued in the modern NFL. Furthermore, he could earn significant early playing time if he adapts quickly.

Hood is scrappy, fast, and is a press-man savant. He tops the list because the Vikings need a young cornerback, and he’ll probably be the best one available when Minnesota is called to the podium.

The Vikings haven’t drafted a corner with long-term staying power in a decade. The last examples were Trae Waynes in 2015 and Mackensie Alexander in 2016. It’s time to draft a competent one.