The Minnesota Vikings had a tremendous 2024 season until it all came crashing down in Week 18. Resurgent quarterback Sam Darnold turned into a pumpkin, looking bad against the Detroit Lions in the regular-season finale and the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round.
Things will look different for the Vikings as Darnold is set to hit free agency and J.J. McCarthy will finally get his chance after his preseason knee injury. The Vikings could go a few ways in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft — Daniel Jeremiah predicts Minnesota will get McCarthy some help with its first selection in his latest mock draft.
Daniel Jeremiah Says Vikings Will Draft Ohio State Running Back
Minnesota came out of nowhere with one of the better offenses in the league last season, finishing No. 13 in PFSN’s Offense+ metric. Darnold led the way with the best season of his career, throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.
His favorite target was Justin Jefferson, who returned to the first-team All-Pro list. He totaled 103 receptions for 1,533 yards, and 10 touchdowns. Second-year receiver Jordan Addison chipped in with 63 catches, 875 yards, and nine scores. The other pleasant surprise for Minnesota was running back Aaron Jones, who came over from Green Bay last offseason.
Jones was a reliable ball carrier, rushing for 1,138 yards and five touchdowns and adding 408 yards and two scores through the air. The 31-year-old is also hitting the open market, and Jeremiah predicts Minnesota will fill that hole in the first round.
He has them selecting Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson at No. 24 saying, “The Vikings have had an up-close look at what a dynamic runner can do for an offense that also features a loaded passing attack (SEE: Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit). Minnesota finds its own RB weapon in Henderson, with Aaron Jones headed for free agency.”
Henderson was a force on Ohio State’s run to a national championship. He rushed for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns averaging 7.1 yards per carry, which led the Big Ten. He added 284 yards and a score on 27 receptions, and at 5’10”, 208 pounds, Henderson perfectly fits the mold of the dynamic two-phase, three-down, modern NFL weapon.
As a runner, Henderson is a forward-pressing brawler with the twitch to warp spatial relationships and the tenacity to capitalize. As a receiver, he’s a diverse RAC threat who can be employed in various ways. His speed and explosiveness serve as central traits across both phases.
It’s somewhat surprising to see Henderson projected to go this high, as PFSN’s Ben Rolfe has the Ohio State running back going in the third round. His mock draft projects that the Vikings will still select Henderson after moving up to No. 75, and they’ll take South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori at No. 24.
Here’s what Rolfe wrote about the Henderson selection: “While all the focus this offseason will be on the quarterback position, the running back should not be forgotten for the Vikings. Aaron Jones may well be back on a short-term deal, but the Vikings need a long-term solution to work alongside J.J. McCarthy. Trading up for a running back is risky, but TreVeyon Henderson may well be worth it.
“Henderson is a dual-threat back who can be effective both in space as a pass catcher and as a power back in a more traditional role. He would benefit from playing alongside a similar style of player in Jones for a year but could also thrive if thrown straight in as a starter in 2025.”
Rolfe agrees that Henderson is a rare, dual-threat prospect and could end up in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
