Hansen called “slam dunk” on the Vikings selecting a safety at pick 24 with a +200 price. Minnesota owns only four total picks, so they need an immediate defensive starter. After losing Camryn Bynum in free agency and already patching corner with bargain veterans, safety is the bigger hole. Drafting someone like Malachi Starks to learn next to Harrison Smith fills that void and maximizes limited draft capital, making the +200 safety market mis-priced versus cornerback.

Chris Raybon floated three ways to attack Omarion Hampton’s draft range: (1) Minnesota to draft Hampton at pick 24 at 11-to-1, (2) under 19.5 draft slot at 3-to-1, and (3) a moon-shot 26-to-1 on Hampton sneaking into the top 10. Raybon argued that if Denver trades up for Ashton Gentry—as market whispers suggest—the RB-needy Vikings become the next logical landing spot. He views Hampton as the clear RB2, "with less tread and better hands than Gentry," making him attractive to Kevin O’Connell’s pass-heavy scheme. Raybon assigns Minnesota roughly a 9 % chance of grabbing Hampton at 24 and sees the under-19.5 prop as a hedge against a surprise trade-up by another RB-starved team.

Scott Smith sent Georgia safety Malachi Starks to Minnesota at pick 24, citing a perfect succession plan with veteran Harrison Smith likely entering his final season. Starks allowed just a 42% completion rate and flashed elite range with a 10‑foot‑11 broad jump at 205 lbs. Smith highlighted that Starks would start at free safety opposite Smith in Year 1, upgrading over Theo Jackson and giving Brian Flores freedom to keep Cam Bynum in the box. Smith expects heavy late steam on ‘first safety drafted’ props—Starks moved from +260 to +140 after combine. Seasonal leaguers should monitor Vikings DST upside, and dynasty gamers can stash Starks in IDP rookie drafts.

Thor Nystrom doubled‑down on Walter Nolen to Minnesota at No. 24, stressing that the Ole Miss transfer is “the last interior defender on the board who can single‑handedly wreck a play.” Nystrom noted Nolen’s path: former No. 1 overall recruit, No. 1 player in the portal, and a 12.6 % pressure rate that already matched his five‑star hype. The key new wrinkle, in Thor’s view, is the massive jump Nolen made as a run defender last year—an 8‑point improvement in run‑stop win rate—making him a three‑down option instead of a pass‑rush specialist. Flores would use the rookie as the immediate backup across all three interior spots, giving him 30‑plus snaps a game while keeping Harrison Phillips fresh. Books still hang Nolen’s draft‑slot O/U at 27.5 with even money on the Under; Thor urged bettors to mash that Under and grab any Vikings‑Nolen exact‑match props because “once teams finish their medical meetings, he won’t get past Minnesota.”

Thor Nystrom leaned toward Walter Nolan as Minnesota’s choice at No. 24, saying the Texas A&M wrecking ball gives Brian Flores the interior penetrator his amoeba front currently lacks. After Kelvin Banks, Gray Zabel and the other premium O‑linemen flew off the board, Thor dismissed guard Tyler Booker as a zone‑scheme misfit and pivoted to defense. Nolan’s 6‑4/325 frame, 9.7 RAS, and 12.6 % pressure rate scream three‑down upside, and Flores covets linemen who can alternately two‑gap or shoot the A‑gap depending on the call. Sportsbooks still hang Nolan’s draft‑slot O/U at 27.5 with even money on the Under; Nystrom advised hitting that number and grabbing any Vikings‑Nolan exact‑match tickets before the chatter pushes his consensus range firmly into the teens.

Mike Wright kept Justin Jefferson at WR3, noting the only ding is an unknown touchdown ceiling with rookie J.J. McCarthy. Jefferson just averaged 96.5 yards per game through five NFL seasons—the best mark in league history and a full 10 yards ahead of Calvin Johnson. Wright pointed out Jefferson’s 2024 stretch with Sam Darnold proved quarterback proof; even league‑average play will sustain him. Statistically, Jefferson could average just over 40 yards a game in 2025 and still hold the all‑time pace record. Wright concluded Jefferson remains a tier‑one anchor whose floor is higher than most receivers’ ceilings, recommending him anywhere from picks 2‑4 overall in season‑long drafts.