Dustin Baker’s Prediction for the Vikings’ 2026 1st-Round Pick

The Minnesota Vikings have nine picks between now and Saturday evening, but everyone cares about the first one at the moment. Accordingly, we’re here to publish our 1st-Round prognostication for the Vikings, and in 2026, that’s defensive tackle Peter Woods, whether via trade or remaining at the No. 18 spot.

Woods gives Minnesota juice inside.

Interim general manager Rob Brzeznski could reasonably pick about 10 different players, and no one would be too befuddled, but for the official forecast, we say Woods.

Woods Fits the Vikings’ Long-Term Defensive Plan

The Clemson DT could marry “best player available” and roster need.

The Main Case for Woods

Brian Flores presumably has more control over the defensive personnel now that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is no longer employed, and when he ran the Miami Dolphins, his very first draft pick seven years ago was Christian Wilkins, a defensive tackle.

Meanwhile, Minnesota tossed Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave to the curb in March, signing no replacements from free agency. If the Vikings’ season started tonight, they’d play Jalen Redmond, Levi Rodriguez, and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins in the middle of the defensive line. It is unclear if that’s enough oomph and experience.

Too, Minnesota has drafted offensive players in Round 1 in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025. It’s time for a defensive player.

Woods is gettable at pick No. 18 and possibly after a slight trade back. He’s also the top defensive tackle in the draft, per most pundits. So, we say Woods to Minnesota on Thursday night.

Dropping Allen and Hargrave Isn’t Nothing

During Adofo-Mensah’s final free agency, he added two starting defensive tackles: Allen and Hargrave. The excitement was palpable because, although not overly young, the two had plenty of experience and Hargrave had a Pro Bowl to his name. Then, the regular season played out, with each man playing decently but nowhere near the value of their contracts.

So, the Vikings kicked them out. Allen landed in Cincinnati and will play next to Sexy Dexter Lawrence. Hargrave picked the Green Bay Packers.

Combined, the pair played over 1,300 defensive snaps. It would just seem strange to hand those snaps to Rodriguez and Ingram-Dawkins. The Vikings would be gambling on “maybes.”

Therefore, the evidence points to a DT addition early in the draft. Remember: in 2023, Minnesota needed a wide receiver. It drafted Jordan Addison. In 2024, it needed a quarterback. J.J. McCarthy was the first pick. How about 2025? A guard was the most pressing need. Donovan Jackson joined the Vikings. If you don’t overcomplicate it, Woods to Minnesota make sense.

Time to End the Drought

The Vikings haven’t drafted an interior defensive lineman in the first three rounds of the draft since 2013. If you remember Sharfif Floyd, he was the last guy. Minnesota got away with this, mainly because Linval Joseph cooked for six seasons.

Generally speaking, the Vikings and all other teams should take a swing at a promising DT at least once every five or eight years or so. In that regard, the purple team is overdue.

Draft Woods. End the drought. Complement the Vikings’ fantastic outside linebackers from the inside out.

Get to Know Woods

At 6’2″ and 300 pounds, Woods possesses surprising agility for his size. His exceptional 4.75-second forty-yard dash, especially notable for a defensive tackle, demonstrates a quick first step and impressive leverage when engaging opponents. His signature swipe move is particularly effective on film, allowing him to penetrate the backfield rapidly. Over his last two seasons at Clemson, he amassed 5 sacks and consistently disrupted plays.

The Ringer‘s Todd McShay on Woods: “He locates the ball quickly, violently sheds blocks as a run defender, and uses his quick hands and feet to make plays in the backfield. He’s on the lighter side (298 pounds) with shorter arms (31 1/4 inches), and the latter shows up on tape. He can win with his hands and still get stuck on the block as a pass rusher.”

“He doesn’t get enough separation to locate the ball at times as a run defender. He gets washed down the line of scrimmage and needs to do a better job of getting vertical when defending zone runs. And he’s an inconsistent tackler. He has upside as a pass rusher, but he did not take the next step as one in 2025.”

For context, defensive tackles often take a few years to hit their groove — longer than players at other positions — so Woods may not be a total stud as a rookie. Give him time.

McShay continued, “His hands are powerful, and he has an effective push-pull move. He can advance his rush while remaining engaged when he stays low. Woods compares well with New England defensive tackle Milton Williams, who lacks ideal length and mass but wins with his hands and athletic ability.”

“He should compete for a starting role as a rookie. Woods compares well with New England defensive tackle Milton Williams, who lacks ideal length and mass but wins with his hands and athletic ability. He should compete for a starting role as a rookie.”

McShay also mock-drafted Woods to Minnesota on Wednesday in his final set of predictions.

Woods turned 21 last month.

If the Woods prediction is wrong, the Vikings will likely draft Dillon Thieneman (Oregon), Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo), or Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon) instead.