Who will the Vikings take in the 2025 NFL draft? Rounding up the latest expert predictions
With the 2025 NFL draft quickly approaching, a consensus seems to be developing around expert predictions for the Minnesota Vikings' first-round pick.
In the latest round of mock drafts from CBS Sports' panel of experts, six of seven have the Vikings taking a defensive back, with five of those picks being a safety.
Here's a breakdown of what the experts have the Vikings doing with the 24th overall pick come April 24.
Malaki Starks
The Georgia safety is the most popular pick among CBS Sports' experts — three of them have Starks as the selection. He's the 14th overall prospect for CBS Sports and the top-ranked safety.
Starks is the smaller of the two first-round safeties in this class (more on the larger in a minute), but CBS Sports' scouting profile notes his versatility, instincts and reliable tackling — all traits required in a Brian Flores defense.
The 6-foot-1, 197-pound safety had six picks across three seasons with the Bulldogs.
Nick Emmanwori
Emmanwori is the aforementioned big man in the safety class, with 2 inches and about 20 pounds on Starks. Two experts have the Vikings adding him to the back end.
His CBS Sports scouting profile describes him as a "towering, physically imposing safety with a linebacker-like presence" with good run-stopping ability and ball skills. In his last season at South Carolina, he had four picks and took two of them to the house.
Emmanwori is CBS Sports' 20th overall prospect and second-ranked safety.
Shavon Revel Jr.
Ryan Wilson is the lone drafter taking a cornerback for the Vikings — Shavon Revel Jr. from East Carolina. Corner is a definite need for the Vikings, despite re-signing Byron Murphy Jr. Third-year CB Mekhi Blackmon will be back after missing his sophomore season with an injury, but behind those two are depth pieces and reclamation projects (though Vikings brass seems to have high hopes for Isaiah Rodgers).
Revel, CBS Sports' 36th-ranked prospect and fifth-ranked CB, is coming off an ACL injury, just like Blackmon. But his size (6-foot-2, 194 pounds) and athleticism (third-highest athleticism score among CBs at the 2025 combine, per Next Gen Stats) make him an intriguing option for Flores' defense.
Grey Zabel
Only one expert has the Vikings taking an offensive lineman, and the cherry on top is they trade down to get him.
Zabel played all across the line at North Dakota State University but projects as an interior offensive lineman in the NFL. The Vikings could seek to upgrade at left guard or could use Zabel as a swing lineman while he gets up to NFL speed. The scouting report says he's smart and athletic but sometimes struggles with technique.
In the scenario posited by draft expert Kyle Stackpole, the Vikings pick up a fourth-round pick from the Buffalo Bills and move six spots down to pick No. 30 to draft Zabel.
Zabel is the 27th-best prospect, per CBS Sports, and the second-ranked interior lineman.
The NFL draft runs April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Vikings have just four picks currently, though a spending spree in free agency leaves them with few glaring needs.
