Vikings should stand pat at No. 24 overall, draft dream defender for Brian Flores

Ryan OLeary

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Vikings should stand pat at No. 24 overall, draft dream defender for Brian Flores image

Given GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s lengthy track record of draft-weekend trades, and his league-low draft capital for this year, the Minnesota Vikings are widely expected to wheel and deal during the 2025 NFL Draft, starting on Day 1.

But make no mistake: If the Vikings have the right grade on the top player remaining on their board at pick No. 24 overall, they’re just as likely to make a selection as they are to take calls on trade offers.

NFL Draft analyst Marcus Mosher of 33rd Team recently dropped his first-round projections with trades, and he predicts the Vikings will stand pat at No. 24 if Georgia safety Malaki Starks is still available. Here was Mosher’s take on what would be a dream defensive back prospect for DC Brian Flores:

"The Vikings could go in a number of directions," Mosher wrote, "but Malaki Starks is just one of the cleanest prospects in the class. He can play both safety spots and come down and play in the slot if needed. Brian Flores likes smart defensive backs, but Starks couldn’t be a better fit. Flores would have so much fun deploying him all over the field, and if he makes it this far, expect him to be the pick."

MORE: Will Vikings trade pick No. 24 overall? Every in-draft move during GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s tenure

Starks looks like one of the first-round gems of this draft class, thanks to his ability to both play centerfield in coverage but also step up into the box and make plays in the run game. His tackling (84.3) and rush defense (85.6) grades from PFF were superb in 2024, and he’d fill an obvious need for the Vikings after Cam Bynum left for the Indianapolis Colts in free agency.

Teams down the draft board, such as the Philadelphia Eagles, have been heavily linked to Starks as well, so the Vikings would likely be weighing trade offers on the fly. They’d be waiting 73 selections between picks if they do draft a player at No. 24 overall, but given the state of their stacked roster after an aggressive approach to free agency, they could certainly justify making a selection if one of their top targets is on the board.

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Ryan OLeary

Ryan O'Leary has spent his entire professional career in sports multimedia, working as journalist, editor, podcaster, and in live events as a content manager and show emcee. His career highlights include working as a podcast host and audio editor for USA TODAY Sports Media Group, where he led a series of NFL podcasts for the company’s top-performing NFL sites. A born and raised New Englander, Ryan’s career kicked-off in newspapers after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in journalism. He developed an affinity for small-town youth, high school and college sports, while also realizing his childhood dream of covering the Patriots in multiple AFC Championship Games. Ryan enjoys kicking it with family and friends, beating his dad and brother in chess, and arguing with anyone crazy enough to insist that Tom Brady isn’t the GOAT.