Daily Norseman
A deep dive into the Vikings’ first-round draft pick
With the 24th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Donovan Jackson, guard, Ohio State. Jackson was ranked #37 on the consensus board and the third ranked interior offensive lineman (after Tyler Booker (#31) and C/G Grey Zabel (#32)) and the third interior offensive lineman selected in the draft.
The Vikings were widely expected to trade down with this pick, given they have only four picks in this draft. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah acknowledged that there were offers to trade down, but apparently they were insufficiently compelling. It appears that the New York Giants were offering teams trading ahead of the Vikings (and likely the Vikings as well) a late third round pick (#99) and change to move up. At least a couple teams ahead of the Vikings turned down the Giants’ offer, as did the Vikings. The Texans, picking at #25, accepted the Giants offer of #34 and #99 and a 2026 third-round pick to move back.
Looking at the trade from a trade value chart perspective, it wasn’t a bad deal to trade down. However, doing so would’ve likely resulted in foregoing Donovan Jackson and several other good prospects for pick #99, which is beyond the sweet spot of talent in this draft. Jackson is a plug-and-play left guard- he played the position most of his career at Ohio State before playing the last nine games at left tackle due to a Josh Simmons injury- who can start on day one and hold down the job for the next decade.
The Vikings also may also have gotten an offer from the Falcons, who traded up with the Rams at #26 for their #46 (second-round) pick, their 2026 first-round pick, and #242 (7th round) pick. The Falcons also received the Rams’ late 3rd round pick (#101). Adding another first-round pick next season would’ve been nice but would also compromise the Vikings’ ability to add any starters this season. There is no pressing reason for the Vikings to accumulate another first-round pick next season (like moving up for a quarterback), so this offer probably wasn’t all that appealing had it been made to the Vikings.
Of more importance to the Vikings was completing the overhaul of their interior offensive line this year, which was also a major focus of free agency, to give J.J. McCarthy the best offensive line available to them between free agency and the draft. It was also important in the context of improving their running game as well.
Now the Vikings can check that off their to-do list.
Donovan Jackson was born to be a guard. He was a five-star recruit and the top interior offensive line recruit in the nation in the 2021 recruiting class out of high school. He received his first scholarship offers (one from Ohio State) before he even started high school. He played three seasons with the Buckeyes and started 40 games- 31 at left guard and...
