With the Super Bowl LX matchup set in stone, the 2026 NFL Draft will arrive before we know it.

As such, we’re kicking off the unofficial start of “draft season” by returning our Mock Draft Tracker series, which rounds up what experts on the subject are thinking about Minnesota’s prospective first-round pick — No. 18 — (and occasionally in later rounds) between now and the April event happening this year in Pittsburgh.

The external consensus about the Vikings heading into 2026 is they could benefit by shoring up the secondary with the addition of a cornerback or safety — and same for the interior of the defensive line.

Minnesota also is a favorite destination in some mocks for a game-changing running back or a wide receiver that can strengthen a relatively deep room that includes pending unrestricted free agent Jalen Nailor.

It’s premature to have a good feeling about what the Vikings might actually do come draft day, so let’s instead just take a gander at the not-so-distant history of the pick and the caliber of player drafted there.

Here’s a rundown of the teams and players recently matched with the 18th overall pick in the draft:

Seattle selected OL Grey Zabel in 2025; Cincinnati chose OL Amarius Mims in 2024; Detroit drafted LB Jack Campbell in 2023; Tennessee took WR Treylon Burks in 2022; Miami decided on EDGE Jaelan Phillips in 2021 and OL Austin Jackson in 2020; and Minnesota nabbed OL Garrett Bradbury at pick No. 18 in 2019.

(Note: Vikings center Ryan Kelly was picked 18th by the Indianapolis Colts in 2016.)

Before Bradbury, who made 88 starts spanning six seasons for Minnesota and will be the starting center for New England in the forthcoming Super Bowl, the Vikings picked Wisconsin defensive end Erasmus James in 2005 and North Carolina State cornerback Dewayne Washington in 1994 in the 18th overall slot.

In a comparable spot, Minnesota has landed the likes of Gold Jackets Alan Page (15th in 1967) and Randall McDaniel (19th in 1988), as well as durable linebackers Fred McNeill (17th in 1974) and Chad Greenway (17th in 2006) and playmaking defensive back Joey Browner (19th in 1983) and show-stopping running back Robert Smith (21st in 1993). Of course, two of the franchise’s most iconic receivers, Randy Moss and Justin Jefferson, were drafted in that ballpark too — 21st in 1998 and 22nd in 2020, respectively.

In other words, there have been sweet pros drafted in the area Minnesota is scheduled to pick this year.

Thus, here’s an early look at players floated as potential Vikings fits, according to NFL Draft mavens across the web. This first iteration of the Mock Draft Tracker series features 10 unique picks out of 12. Cornerbacks Avieon Terrell of Clemson and Brandon Cisse of South Carolina are options touted twice.