Getty
Head coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings looks on after his team’s 26-0 loss against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on November 30, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings are heading into a fresh era in 2026. Kyler Murray is expected to take over from J.J. McCarthy as the starting quarterback and expectations are beginning to rise.
After a disappointing 2025 season that saw the Vikings end the year with a 9-8 record and miss the playoffs, Kevin O’Connell and company are focused on getting back into Super Bowl contention. In order to accomplish that goal, there are more moves needed.
One potential need for Minnesota to address comes at the safety position.
Due to cap constraints, the Vikings had to move on from longtime star safety Harrison Smith. He could still return if he chooses to keep playing, but Minnesota will need to replace him in the near future regardless.
Keeping that in mind, the Vikings have landed a prediction that would result in being the biggest steal of the NFL offseason if it came true.
Minnesota Vikings Land Head-Turning NFL Draft Prediction
At one point in time not long ago, Ohio State standout safety Caleb Downs was projected to be a potential top-five pick. He has started sliding down in mock drafts due to concerns about the health of his knee.
There is still a strong chance that he is taken high in the first round, but what if he were to slide to No. 18 where Minnesota could take him?
That scenario has received an early prediction from Anthony Miller of The Viking Age. He has Downs sliding to the Vikings, who would happily take him with their pick.
“This would be the stunner of the draft, but the Vikings cannot pass up a chance to select Downs if he is available,” Miller wrote.
“The versatile safety went back-to-back years as a unanimous All-American in 2024 and 2025, and was also a second-team All-American in 2023. There have been some injury concerns with Downs, but if he drops this far, what a replacement for Harrison Smith he is; a dream defensive back for defensive coordinator Brian Flores.”
Caleb Downs Has “Superstar” Written All Over Him
Many analysts have said that Downs is the best safety prospect the NFL has seen in a long time. His numbers in college tell that story.
Downs played one season with the Alabama Crimson Tide before playing his final two years at Ohio State. He totaled 256 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, six interceptions, and 10 defended passes.
Bleacher Report has revealed an intriguing NFL comparison for Downs. They feel he compares favorably to former superstar safety Eric Berry.
More than likely, Minnesota won’t end up having a chance to draft Downs at No. 18. It’s possible if he slides out of the top 10 that the Vikings could look at trading up to get him. He would be the perfect long-term fit to replace Smith and become the new leader of the defense moving forward.
Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey
More Heavy on Vikings
Loading more stories
