Andrew Buller-Russ
There’s a new sheriff calling shots for the Minnesota Vikings after the organization fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Now it’s up to longtime front office member Rob Brzezinski and head coach Kevin O’Connell to rebuild a roster that has trimmed a lot of fat this offseason.
The Vikings have shed a lot of salaries, and they really haven’t replaced those players in free agency, opting to take a conservative approach while believing their new-look quarterback room will help make up the difference. Though, with the 2026 NFL Draft roughly two weeks away, the Vikings’ time to shine is right around the corner, when they can add affordable difference-makers with their four selections in the top-97 picks.
Unlike last offseason when they entered the draft process with the league’s fewest selections, the Vikings are in a much better position this time around, with a total of nine picks. However, nailing their first four picks will be paramount to their turnaround, and they could end up finding a couple of immediate starters.
With nine picks, the Vikings will have several options to rebuild their roster. Yet, some needs stick out more than others. That includes center, where last year’s starter, Ryan Kelly, retired after battling multiple concussions.
Yet, according to The Athletic‘s Vikings insider, Alec Lewis, Minnesota is almost guaranteed to select a center at some point throughout the three-day draft event.
“One position feels like a guarantee: center. Florida’s Jake Slaughter, Texas A&M’s Trey Zuhn III, Iowa’s Logan Jones and Kansas State’s Sam Hecht are all potential starters with various traits. Slaughter is known for his smarts. Jones’ exposure to a zone-based run scheme comes with relevant crossover. Hecht starred at the Senior Bowl, and Zuhn was mostly a college tackle but has the movement ability and mental makeup to transition to center. Auburn center Connor Lew is another possibility. He’s on the Day 3 list (below) because he’s recovering from a torn ACL. These five names (and others like Kentucky’s Jager Burton) speak to the Vikings’ flexibility in finding center depth.”
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis on Vikings’ draft needs
For now, the Vikings’ apparent plan is to have former tackle convert Blake Brandel take over the starting center position again in 2026. He took over last season after Kelly’s injuries and ranked 27th among centers (16th as a pass blocker), graded by Pro Football Focus.
Even if Brandel does end up winning the starting center job, it makes sense for Minnesota to boost competition at the position, especially in a draft class seemingly overflowing with potential starting options. Who knows, they may find their starter for the next 10 years, which would be a heck of a find on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
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