MN Vikings’ Biggest Winners and Losers From 2025 NFL Draft

Unlike last year, when the Minnesota Vikings made a huge splash with two first-round selections, the 2025 NFL Draft was much less explosive. Yet, considering the Vikings entered the three-day selection process with an NFL-low four draft picks.

However, by the time the weekend was done, the Vikings emerged with five new draftees, instead of the expected four. They even swung a trade for a new backup quarterback. After it all, who are the Vikings’ three biggest winners and losers from the NFL Draft?

Related: 2025 Minnesota Vikings Draft Class is Complete

2025 Minnesota Vikings Draft Day Loser: Blake Brandel

The biggest loser from the Vikings’ draft class is clearly Blake Brandel. Before the draft kicked off, the former sixth-round pick was in line to reclaim his role as the starting left guard. Now? After selecting Donovan Jackson with the 24th overall pick, Brandel is expected to return to a backup role in 2025.

That doesn’t mean he won’t or can’t make an impact on the upcoming season. Not only can he go back to the role he thrived in, which is playing swing OL whenever called upon, but the Minnesota Vikings will need him to push Jackson in camp.

Related: NFL Draft Experts Drool Over New MN Viking, Donovan Jackson

And at the end of the day, there’s no guarantee Donovan Jackson is NFL-ready, right from the get-go. As a first-round pick, that may be the expectation. But expectations do not always align with reality. It won’t take long for the Vikings to realize what they have in their new left guard.

When that time comes, Brandel’s future role in purple will be more clear. Without a doubt, however, it’s clear that Brandel’s job is considerably more in jeopardy today than it was on Thursday afternoon.

Loser: Brett Rypien

Like Brandel, Brett Rypien was set for a more featured role this season, as J.J. McCarthy’s backup quarterback. That’s an upgrade from last season when he became the QB3 as rosters were being finalized. Yet, once again, Rypien is set to become the team’s No. 3 quarterback following the trade for Sam Howell.

While Rypien, 28, may be disappointed in his QB3 role, we all knew the Vikings were going to add another quarterback before the season started. Here’s the thing, though… in a matter of minutes on Saturday, Rypien may have dropped from QB2, all the way down to QB4.

The Minnesota Vikings didn’t just add one rookie quarterback this weekend, they also made former Minnesota Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer a priority undrafted free agent signing, even guaranteeing him $250,000 to seal the deal.

Related: Max Brosmer is Staying in Minnesota

Vikings fans out there who double as Gopher football fans, know… Max Brosmer is not going to give up his purple jersey without a fight. So with all the young talent in the Vikings new QB room, it’s very plausible Rypien could once again find himself on the outside looking in, when final training camp cuts are made, come August.

Loser: Jalen Nailor

Jalen Nailor is headed into the final year of his contract, and the Vikings may not be able to afford a second contract for the speedster. Yet, by adding Tai Felton, the Vikings get a new potential long-term WR3, and like Nailor, he’s quick.

Felton clocked a 4.37 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and the Vikings believe he can be their next playmaker who helps take attention away from Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. The Vikings also added five undrafted free agent receivers, showing how eager they are to find another pass-catcher who can contribute on a weekly basis.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Swing Trade and Draft New Wide Receiver

2025 MN Vikings Draft Day Winner: Jordan Mason

When the offseason kicked off, running back was listed as one of the Minnesota Vikings’ biggest needs. Re-signing Aaron Jones and trading for Jordan Mason — who went for 789 rushing yards (3 TD) and 164 receiving yards with the Niners last season — has KOC & Co feeling comfortable with their backfield entering the 2025 season.

But that wasn’t clear heading into the draft. Given their interest in running backs throughout the scouting process, RB still felt like a position the Vikings would target with one of their four draft picks, even if they waited until the later rounds. At the end of the day, this draft class just had too much running back talent to just pass up, right?

Related: Minnesota Vikings Have Big Plans for Jordan Mason

Then, seven rounds went by without the Vikings selecting anyone with an “RB” in front of their name. Now, barring any unforeseen additions between now and week one, it appears this team’s backfield work in 2025 will be divvied up between mostly Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, with some Ty Chandler sprinkled in.

With Jones’ now 30, Mason will get every opportunity to prove he can be a future starter.

Winner: Christian Darrisaw

How is Christian Darrisaw a winner? No one was ever coming for the former first-round pick’s starting spot. However, the Minnesota Vikings hope his life at left tackle just got a whole lot easier, with the addition of No. 24 overall, Donovan Jackson, who’s expected to slot in right next to Darrisaw at left guard.

Since he took over as the starter in 2021, Darrisaw has dealt with a turnstile of bad to mediocre guards to help him protect the left side of the MN Vikings offensive line. If Jackson is what the Vikings believe, he should be able to take the starting left guard spot away from the aforementioned Blake Brandel pretty quickly.

Related: Christian Darrisaw Blown Away by How Good Dallas Turner is Already

As long as the next three months play out on the practice and preseason fields, like they do right now on paper, then Christian Darrisaw’s life just got a whole lot easier, and that’s before you factor in the improvement at center (Ryan Kelly) and right guard (Will Fries).

Ideally, not only will Darrisaw be able to focus on sealing the edge — without having to worry as much about making sure Brandel is handling his assignment too — but he can also take his time getting healthy, after season-ending knee surgery in 2024.

If he can’t return immediately in 2025, Jackson played an impressive left tackle last season at Ohio State. And when he does return, he won’t be pulling double duty (hopefully).

Winner: J.J. McCarthy

There’s no bigger winner in the NFL Draft than J.J. McCarthy, who now has an even more reinforced offensive line, plus a new weapon to work with thanks to the Vikings’ first two picks.

Instead of trying to find more pieces for Brian Flores’ defense, the Vikings opted to do everything in their power to make sure their year-old QB had everything he needed to succeed in his first season as a starter.

Related: All 20 Minnesota Vikings Undrafted Free Agents

Instead of picking a running back, receiver, or tight end first, the Vikings made a move that they hope will give McCarthy more time to make his reads while protecting him in the pocket.

Ultimately, the Vikings may have very well made the best decision to help their young leader thrive, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise considering how QB-friendly Kevin O’Connell’s system has become.