The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh in one week’s time, a city where the Vikings could select the next star they add to their roster in hopes of righting the proverbial ship. Before then, though, there will be plenty of speculation and buildup for the team and who they may add to the roster through the draft. Thankfully, we now have some added context for players now that the scouting combine has come and gone.<\/p>\n
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards recently released the latest 2026 NFL mock draft<\/a> of the cycle, which has the team going in the defensive direction with a pick we have seen a time or two. He has them drafting a replacement for franchise legend Harrison Smith<\/a> in Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Edwards explains the McNeil-Warren pick, writing, “It appears as though Harrison Smith’s watch has ended in Minnesota. He was a key player for that team for over a decade but they are ushering in a new era with Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Three safeties taken in the top-20 overall is proof of an unconventional draft.”<\/p>\n Whether it is McNeil-Warren or Dillon Thieneman<\/a>, it seems the team is destined to select a safety based on all the mock draft results we have seen over the last week.<\/p>\n