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The Final Vikings Mock Draft of March Is Here

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Aggies WR KC Concepcion against USTA in summer 2025
Aug 30, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) after returning a punt for a touchdown in the first quarter against the UTSA Roadrunners at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Sean Thomas-Imagn Images.

April arrives on Wednesday, which means draft month is near, and we asked VikingsTerritory writers to get together for a collaborative mock draft to close out free agency month. Using NFL Mock Draft Database’s simulator, here’s what the panel came up with for the purple team.

One more seven-round Vikings forecast before April starts scrambling everything.

No trades were executed in the interest of simplicity and may be scarce in the first place because Kwesi Adofo-Mensah no longer works for the Vikings.

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Projecting Minnesota’s Best Pre-April Draft Blueprint

Our first writers swerved to start the festivities.

KC Concepcion returns a punt for a touchdown against LSU at Tiger Stadium. Vikings mock draft 2026
Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) breaks free on a punt return, racing downfield for a touchdown during the second half, Oct. 25, 2025, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, against the LSU Tigers as coverage collapses and the sideline erupts during a pivotal moment in the game. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images.

Round 1 (Pick 18)
KC Concepcion (WR) | Texas A&M
The Mock Drafter: Wes Johnson

Drafting should be about the best player available (BPA), and then need, so Concepcion checks both boxes.

With the recent contract extension of Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, averaging a bit over $42 million a year, the indicators are pretty clear: WR is considered a premium position by the NFL. Looking further into the Vikings, they are a team in need of a WR3 on the 2026 roster, and delving deeper, they will need to add to their pass-catching group in 2027 when the contracts of Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson expire.

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Enter Concepcion, who is a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands.

He has the size to play the Z, but would be eased into the offense in the slot. I’ve got Concepcion over Jordyn Tyson here because Tyson struggled to separate in college, something I feel Kevin O’Connell’s offense depends on. Concepcion reminds me a bit of Addison, and should the Vikings decide to move on, Concepcion will slot right in.

Round 2 (Pick 49)
Lee Hunter (DT) | Texas Tech
The Mock Drafter: Kyle Joudry

Saying no to running backs in Round 2 is painful, but it’s the DT. Lee Hunter is the pick. Trenches still matter, so snagging a promising player for the defensive line is the move.

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Round 3 (Pick 82)
Mike Washington Jr. (RB) | Arkansas
The Mock Drafter: Janik Eckardt

After impressive testing results, including a sub-4.35 forty-yard dash — a particularly notable time for a 225-pound running back — Washington Jr. has rapidly climbed draft boards.

Washington’s burst, acceleration, and big-play ability give him significant home-run potential, making him an attractive option for the Vikings, who are seeking to inject speed and explosiveness into their offensive scheme with youth at RB.

Round 3 (Pick 97)
Genesis Smith (S) | Arizona
The Mock Drafter: Adam New

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The Vikings need a safety, and in Genesis Smith, they get one of the best coverage safeties in the draft with great play-making ability. Smith is a steal at 97.

Round 5 (Pick 161)
Hezakiah Masses (CB) | California
The Mock Drafter: Steven Hoikkala

With the Vikings adding Masses, they gain a corner with decent size at 6’1 who ran a 4.46 40 time and has good ability to flip his hips in coverage. He gives Minnesota depth at corner, and could turn into a starter with his ability to also take the ball away after showing off his hands with 5 INT’s in 2025 for California.

Round 6 (Pick 196)
Pat Coogan (CB) | Indiana
The Mock Drafter: Dustin Baker

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Indiana players celebrate on podium after winning national championship at Hard Rock Stadium. Vikings mock draft 2026
Indiana players Pat Coogan (78), Riley Nowakowski (37), Charlie Becker (80), and Aiden Fisher (4) celebrate together on the podium after winning the College Football Playoff National Championship, Jan. 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens as confetti falls and teammates gather following the title-clinching performance. Mandatory Credit: Rich Janzaruk-Imagn Images.

In this scenario, the Vikings will roll into 2026 with Blake Brandel or Michael Jurgens as the starting center after Ryan Kelly’s retirement — probably Brandel — and add Coogan as a mid-to-late-round hopeful.

NFL Draft Buzz on Coogan: “Coogan has started 41 games across two Power 4 programs, called protections in a national championship game, and improved his grades every single season. He will earn trust quickly in a meeting room because he knows his assignments, communicates clearly, and plays with discipline.”

“In the right gap or power-heavy scheme, there is genuine starting potential here. He is the kind of interior lineman who may not test his way into a roster spot but will absolutely play his way into one.”

Round 7 (Pick 234)
Eli Heidenreich (WR/RB) | Navy
The Mock Drafter: Dustin Baker

Heidenreich offers the versatility, special-teams value, and roster flexibility that Minnesota can’t ignore in Round 7.

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His role at Navy transcended that of a traditional fullback. He lined up in multiple positions, including the backfield and slot, and frequently motioned to create mismatches against linebackers. The adaptability would translate well to a modern NFL offense that values unpredictability. For Minnesota, Heidenreich could be an affordable asset, adding offensive variability in short-yardage or play-action situations.

His primary appeal, however, lies on special teams. Players drafted in the later rounds often secure roster spots through special teams contributions, and Heidenreich possesses the requisite size, toughness, and discipline for coverage units.

Heidenreich also provides depth. Considering the Vikings’ offensive injuries in 2025, a player capable of filling multiple roles — H-back, emergency tight end, or situational runner — would offer the coaching staff greater flexibility without requiring additional roster spots.

With C.J. Ham freshly retired, Heidenreich makes sense.

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Round 7 (Pick 240)
Mikail Kamara (OLB) | Indiana
The Mock Drafter: Dustin Baker

Mikail Kamara celebrates after Indiana wins the national championship game. Vikings mock draft 2026
Indiana defender Mikail Kamara (6) celebrates on the field following the College Football Playoff National Championship victory, Jan. 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens as emotions spill over and teammates surround him after securing the program’s biggest win on the national stage. Mandatory Credit: Rich Janzaruk-Imagn Images.

We were surprised to see the board allow this, Kamara falling to Round 7. Most mock drafts perceive him as a 5th-Rounder. It was a no-brainer to pounce in Round 7, adding the National Champion EDGE to the roster as an OLB4 or OLB5 contender as early as this fall.

Round 7 (Pick 244)
Brett Thorson (P) | Georgia
The Mock Drafter: Dustin Baker

Thorson is considered the top punting prospect among 2026 rookies. Given the recent signing of Johnny Hekker, why not invite Thorson to Eagan this summer to compete for the team’s punter position? After all, Hekker was a middle-of-the-road punter in 2025.


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Dylan Strome’s heroics help Caps nip Knights in shootout

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NHL: Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden KnightsMar 28, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) celebrates with team mates after the Capitals defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 in a shoot-out at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Dylan Strome scored the tying goal in the third period and the game-winner in the shootout to give the Washington Capitals a 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Strome, who hit the post on the first shot of the game, tied it at 4-all midway through the period with a power-play tally, one-timing a shot from the middle of the right circle to snap a 17-game goal drought. He then scored the only goal of the shootout at the start of the first round, roofing a backhand shot past Adin Hill.

Justin Sourdif had a goal and an assist, Cole Hutson had two assists and Hendrix Lapierre and Anthony Beauvillier also scored goals for Washington (37-28-9, 83 points), which is four points back of the second and final wild card in the Eastern Conference. Logan Thompson finished with 25 saves and stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout.

Jack Eichel scored a goal and had two assists, Rasmus Andersson had a goal and an assist and Nic Dowd and Mitch Marner also scored for Vegas (32-26-16, 80 points), which lost its third straight game and its sixth in the last seven. Hill made 17 saves for the Golden Knights, who fell three points behind second-place Edmonton in the Pacific Division.

Washington took a 1-0 lead at the 6:06 mark of the first period when Lapierre fired a wrist shot past Hill’s blocker side.

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Sourdif made it 2-0 early in the second period with a power-play goal. Connor McMichael set up the score with a pass from the right goal-line to Sourdif cutting down the slot where he one-timed a shot past Hill’s blocker side.

Less than four minutes later, Beauvillier deflected a spinning wrist shot from the left circle by Ryan Leonard to increase Washington’s lead to 3-0, the eighth time in the last 16 games that the Golden Knights fell behind 3-0 in a contest.

But Vegas rallied to tie it later in the period with three goals, including two short-handed, in the span of 2:40.

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Dowd, acquired by Vegas on March 5 from Capitals, started the comeback with his fifth career short-handed goal, stealing the puck from Leonard in the slot in front of the Washington net and then snapping a shot by Thompson’s stick side.

Andersson followed with another short-handed goal just 25 seconds later, driving through the Capitals defense and tucking in a forehand shot around Thompson’s left pad. It marked the second time in team history that Vegas scored two short-handed goals on the same penalty kill. Brayden McNabb and Eichel also performed the feat on Dec. 27, 2024, against San Jose.

Eichel tied it at 3-all with his first goal in eight games when he snapped a rebound of an Andersson shot past Thompson’s glove side at 13:18.

Vegas took the lead 31 seconds into the third period on a power-play goal by Marner, who fired a point shot from inside the blue line past Thompson’s blocker side.

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–Field Level Media

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Huge brawl breaks out with Sol Ruca on WWE house show

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Sol Ruca is a top star in WWE NXT right now. On a house show in Allen, Texas, she got into a brawl with her former tag team partner. She’s heading into Stand & Deliver 2026 to face her ally-turned-rival, and things recently got heated between them.

Ruca and Zaria engaged in a scuffle and took the Allen crowd by storm. In a video posted by WWE NXT on X, the two can be seen taking their brawl backstage. The duo seemingly locked horns, but the contest ended in a double countout after Zaria took things too far.

Later in the video, they got back inside the ring, where referees separated them.

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NXT general manager Robert Stone announced that the duo will face off again at Stand & Deliver. However, for now, they need to be away from each other. In the end, Sol Ruca taunted Zaria while the latter was taken away by WWE officials.

What other matches are scheduled for WWE NXT Stand & Deliver?

Johnny Garagno is back in NXT and will be challenging for Myles Borne’s North American Championship. The main event of the show will see Joe Hendry put his NXT Championship on the line in a Fatal-Four-Way Match. Ricky Saints, Ethan Page, and Tony D’Angelo will go up against Hendry for the coveted gold.

The go-home episode of NXT before Stand & Deliver will likely confirm more matches for the show. Jacy Jayne will put her NXT Women’s Championship on the line against the winner of Lola Vice vs. Kendal Grey. The Vanity Project will battle either Birthright or Los Americanos, depending on which duo wins the tag team contest on Tuesday.

As of this writing, Tatum Paxley’s Women’s North American Championship match is up in the air. However, Blake Monroe is widely expected to challenge for Paxley’s title.

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