The Minnesota Vikings have not featured a consistent and true nose tackle in their defense since Dalvin Tomlinson left the team a few years ago. And before Tomlinson, Linval Joseph was the last guy; he left after the 2019 campaign. So when some recent mock drafts have connected Minnesota to Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter, few have complained.

Minnesota’s interior remains a priority, and Hunter’s blend of power and movement is starting to look like a realistic fit.

Hunter could be gettable in Round 2, and the Vikings cannot be ruled out of his sweepstakes.

Hunter Enters Minnesota’s Draft Mix

Get to know the name Lee Hunter.

Mock Drafts Go on Spree of Hunter to Vikings

Hunter turned heads with an impressive Senior Bowl showing last week, and accordingly, he’s entered Minnesota’s mock draft fold.

ESPN’s Matt Miller recently mock-drafted Hunter to the Vikings in Round 2 and noted, “The Vikings badly need to get younger and hit on picks outside Round 1. Hunter might eventually move into the first round after a superstrong Senior Bowl week and could start right away as a nose tackle or 1-technique.”

Over at A to Z Sports, Tyler Forness did the same thing: “The Vikings didn’t have a nose tackle last season, choosing to prioritize the pass rush over a solid run defense. To a point, it worked, as the Vikings had the No. 7 overall defense and the No. 2 pass defense. What would it look like with a penetrating run-defender who can also attack as a pass rusher?”

“Hunter was on the best defensive line in the nation this season, and he continued to force double teams due to his combination of quick penetration and power. This could take a huge step forward on a defensive unit that honestly doesn’t need it.”

At this time on the NFL calendar, most of the buzz hits Round 1 hopefuls, but Hunter has wiggled into Minnesota’s Round 2 orbit.

The Hunter Details

Hunter is 6’3″ and 330 pounds. He’ll turn 24 by the time the regular season starts, so it’s not like the Vikings would onboard the youngest of rookies. Perhaps that age has nudged him down to Round 2 in most mock drafts. Hunter is known for run defense and speed at his size. He also has a lengthy college resume, so in theory, he may not need a redshirt year in the NFL.

NFL Draft Buzz‘s Andrew Moore on Hunter: “The combination of size, power, and proven production against Power Four competition makes Hunter a safe mid-round selection who should contribute immediately on run downs. His floor is higher than his ceiling given the athletic limitations and lack of pass-rush diversity, but teams investing a Day 3 pick will receive a player who understands his role and consistently delivers what he does well.”

“Hunter won’t become a Pro Bowl interior rusher, but he has the traits to develop into a dependable rotation player who earns starter snaps if he improves his conditioning and maintains consistent effort. The tape shows a physically impressive defender who needs refinement rather than a project, making him attractive for teams seeking immediate depth with developmental upside.”

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s take: “Hunter is a two-gapping nose tackle for odd or even fronts. He has the size, strength and length to do battle in the heart of the trenches but requires better block take-on technique to sit firmer in his grass. He won’t win in the gaps, but he can stack and shed single blocks or slide and stabilize his run fit against zone blocks.”

“Hunter’s girth and length are advantages when aligning over the center as a run defender. He doesn’t have enough quickness or skill as a rusher to see many passing downs, but he can dent the pocket with his power. Hunter projects as an early down space-eater who can make interior offensive linemen work for their gaps.”

What a DT Room Might Look Like

If the Vikings fulfill the prophecies from Miller and Forness, scooping Hunter from Round 2 of the draft, the 2026 DT unit might look like this:

• Jalen Redmond
• Jonathan Allen
• Javon Hargrave
• Lee Hunter
• Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
• Levi Drake Rodriguez
• Elijah Williams

There are also some early offseason whispers that Minnesota will cut Hargrave as a cap casualty, making the DT need more front and center in the draft.

The Vikings haven’t used Round 1 or 2 draft capital on a defensive tackle since 2013.

Consensus Big Board

Nose tackles don’t often rumble their way into Round 1. Per the Consensus Big Board as of early February, Hunter is considered No. 37 to be drafted in April, deemed as the type of player who could slip into the back section of the 1st Round or anywhere in Round 2.

New Vikings interim general manager Rob Brzezinski is scheduled to pick 18th in Round 1 and 49th in Round 2. With a bit of a slide, Hunter could be available at No. 49.

It’s also worth noting that Minnesota needs defensive secondary help this offseason, a cornerback and a safety, and the 1st-Round pick could be used on one of the positions.

The Vikings haven’t drafted a player from Texas Tech in nearly 30 years: defensive back Tony Darden in 1998.

Mike Vrabel is focused on winning his first-ever Super Bowl as a head coach, but he was already honored this week in San Francisco.

The New England Patriots head coach was named Coach of the Year at the NFL Honors on Thursday night.

Vrabel won the award over his opponent on Sunday in Super Bowl LX, Seattle Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald, San Francisco 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan, Jacksonville Jaguars’ Liam Coen, and Chicago Bears’ Ben Johnson.

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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel celebrates after the AFC championship game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on Jan. 25, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

This is the second time in Vrabel’s coaching career that he has won the award. He received 19 of the 50 first-place votes and had a total of 302 points.

Vrabel first won the award while leading the Tennessee Titans in 2021.

Vrabel is now the seventh coach to ever win Coach of the Year for multiple franchises, joining Chuck Nox, Bill Parcells, Bruce Arians, Dan Reeves, Don Shula and George Allen.

TOM BRADY’S NEUTRAL SUPER BOWL STANCE SPARKS BACKLASH FROM PATRIOTS’ ROBERT SPILLANE AND FRANCHISE GREATS

When the Titans moved on, Vrabel didn’t take a job elsewhere in the NFL. Instead, he waited a year and the Patriots moved on after just a single season under Jerod Mayo.

The Patriots had just won four games for the second straight season, and it’s their first without Bill Belichick at the helm. So, owner Robert Kraft went with another familiar face and former Super Bowl champion, this time with head coaching experience already.

Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots speaks with Drake Maye #10 during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 7, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Under his tutelage this season, Vrabel led the Patriots to a 14-3 regular-season record, tied for the best record in the NFL. It’s the biggest turnaround in a single season in NFL history, tied with the 1999 Indianapolis Colts and 2008 Miami Dolphins, who also saw 10-win improvements.

Vrabel was also able to see a perfect 9-0 record on the road, including the playoffs, becoming the first NFL team in history to do so.

Vrabel, of course, would point to his team when talking about his candidacy, but he would be right to look at quarterback Drake Maye, an MVP finalist at the NFL Honors on Thursday night with him. Maye, in just his second season, showcased why he was a top choice out of UNC with his consistency, poise and play-making abilities under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ scheme.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel watches during the first half of the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Vrabel and the Patriots are not yet complete with their 2025 NFL season. They still have one game left to play — Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, where Vrabel is hoping to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the first time since he last touched it as a Patriots linebacker in 2004.

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Sunna is one of the latest S-Ranks released in Zenless Zone Zero’s version 2.6 Phase 1. While she is not an ordinary support agent when it comes to her unique kit design, she can still perform well enough when placed in the right team compositions. Here’s a quick guide on her best team compositions as of the current version in Zenless Zone Zero.

Recommended teams for Sunna in Zenless Zone Zero

1. Ye Shunguang, Sunna and Dialyn (premium)

As of now, this is Sunna’s best-in-slot team as a support when compared to the other options. Ye Shunguang is the primary DPS here, who gains a lot from Sunna’s Angelic Coordination buffs and Mesmerized marks, which lets her deal even more damage during Stun windows.

On top of that, Sunna can also repeatedly trigger Ether Veil which can help Ye Shunguang enter her Enlightened Mind state for smoother rotations. Lastly, Dialyn completes this lineup by providing additional Ultimate through her Chain Attack passive and stun generation, allowing Sunna’s marks to trigger more frequently.

Also read: Zenless Zone Zero Sunna build guide: Best W-Engines, Drive Discs, skills, and teams

2. Evelyn, Sunna and Astra Yao (alternative)

This composition is a more accessible premium team consisting of old S-Rank agents. Here, Evelyn acts as the primary DPS, while Astra Yao provides additional buffs via her Quick Assists. Sunna further amplifies the team’s damage as a secondary support, enabling even more Quick Assists, boosting overall team’s ATK, and dealing off-field damage. This lineup is best suited for players who already own these units and want to make use of her kit.

3. Billy Kid, Sunna and Corin (F2p option)

For F2p players, she can still provide noticeable value when paired with A-Rank Attack agents like Billy Kid and Corin. As usual, Billy serves as the main DPS while Corin provides additional damage as a quick swap Sub-DPS. Sunna’s primary role here is to help raise their damage ceiling which can allow them to perform better in early to mid-game content.

What about Anomaly teams?

While Sunna can be used in Anomaly teams, the synergy is limited with the current roster of Anomaly agents in Zenless Zone Zero. Her Additional Ability called Daydreamer’s Counterpoint, doesn’t activate in Anomaly compositions, which already puts her at a huge disadvantage.

The other ability called Cat’s Gaze, does provide some guaranteed CRIT DMG when triggered by Anomaly agents, but that’s where the synergy stops. Without an Attack agent or an Angels of Delusion member in the team, Sunna loses a huge amount of her overall team wide buffs in this composition.

However, that is likely to change with the release of Aria, an upcoming S-Rank Ether Anomaly agent and a member of the Angels of Delusion faction, who can activate her passive and make her a much stronger option for Aria’s Anomaly-focused teams.

Overall, Sunna performs best in Attack-based teams that can consistently make use of her damage buffs during Stun windows. She shines the most in premium lineups, but can still offer similar value in F2P teams across Zenless Zone Zero. Additionally, players planning to pull for Aria can also consider Sunna as a future option for her team compositions.