New Headline: Vikings Land Top-10 NFL Draft Star from Big Ten!
A new 3-round mock draft helps the Vikings bounce back in a new CBS Sports mock draft.
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh next April, a city that could be where the Vikings select the next star they add to their roster in hopes of righting the proverbial ship. Before next April, though, there will be plenty of speculation and buildup for the team and who they may add to the roster through the draft. Thankfully, we now have some added context for players now that the scouting combine has come and gone.
CBS Sports' Josh Edwards recently released the latest 2026 NFL mock draft of the cycle, which has the team focusing on defense once again. He has the Vikings finding their replacement for Harrison Smith in Oregon's Dillon Thieneman. The Big Ten defender has made a name for himself since starting the draft process, including most recently dominating the testing at the combine.
Edwards explains the Thieneman pick, writing, "As Minnesota continues to turn the page on last season with a new quarterback and a new general manager, it'll be looking to identify more difference-makers. Dillon Thieneman tested off the charts from an athletic perspective and has also been incredibly productive. " The mock draft goes beyond the first round, though, and gets all the way through the third round.
From beyond the first round, the Vikings also land defensive lineman Christen Miller, edge rusher Jaishawn Barham, and tight end Max Klare. The Big Ten does a lot of heavy lifting in this mock draft for the Vikings, and it helps them to potentially turn the page on the disappointing 2025 season. This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFL Mock Draft: CBS Sports builds back the Vikings