The Mock Drafts have been running for months and most commonly predict the Vikings to use their first-round pick on the defensive side of the ball — particularly in the secondary. But if there's one thing that's certain about the NFL Draft … it's that nothing is certain. So in leading up to this year's three-day event that begins with Round 1 on April 23, 2026, we're previewing prospects by position groups (all except quarterback, where the Vikings have four players on the roster, and specialists, where the Vikings have a trio of All-Pros). This draft prospect series will include rankings by national outlets, stats and background information for multiple prospects.
Next up is defensive line, which league pundits feel is a deep position in this year's draft. Teams could find quality options for their roster on all three days.
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Vikings status at defensive line
The Vikings had a new-look defensive line for the 2025 season, and they've already made some significant changes heading into the 2026 campaign, as well.
Last year's free agent additions of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave were one-and-done with Minnesota, as the Vikings have released each of them while working through a tricky salary cap situation.
Coming off a stellar season, though, is Jalen Redmond, who led the position group in sacks with a career-high 6.0. His 62 tackles were second among defensive linemen behind Allen's 68. Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell referred to Redmond, whom Minnesota signed as an undrafted free agent in 2024, as a "bright spot" who consistently showed up through the team's ups and downs.
The Vikings defensive line also offers other young talent. Levi Drake Rodriguez appeared in 16 games in 2025 after seeing just action in just two as a rookie. The seventh-round draft pick added some juice on defense and special teams alike.
Taki Taimani joined the Vikings as a UDFA in 2024; he appeared in just two games during his second season after playing in seven as a rookie.
Minnesota drafted Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins in the fifth round and utilized him on special teams and defense; he recorded his first career sack when he took down Cleveland's Dillon Gabriel in Week 5 to help the Vikings defeat the Browns.
Elijah Williams may not have gotten much playing time during his debut season, but the undrafted lineman out of HBCU Morgan State University impressed during training camp and the preseason and is someone to keep an eye on this offseason.
Last but not least, the Vikings in January signed Jaylon Hutchings, a former Texas Tech standout who started 17 games for the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders last season. Hutchings led all CFL defensive tackles with 8.0 sacks. He also recorded 39 tackles, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Expert rankings
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah currently has four defensive tackles in his Top 50, and all of them are grouped closely together: Lee Hunter (34), Peter Woods (35), Caleb Banks (36) and Kayden McDonald (39).
ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr., has two defensive tackles in his Top 25: Woods (19) and McDonald (21).
Rankings for interior defenders by Jeremiah, his NFL Media counterpart Bucky Brooks, Kiper, analytics site Pro Football Focus and The Athletic's Dane Brugler are listed below.
Prospects
Note: Heights and weights are from each player's profile on NFL.com (linked for each player's name).
School: Clemson | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-2 ½ | Wt: 298 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: DT2
Bucky Brooks: DT1
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT1
Pro Football Focus: DT3
Dane Brugler: DT2
2025 stats: 30 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 3.5 TFL, 1 pass defensed
Career stats: 35 games (24 starts); 84 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 14.5 TFL, 2 FF, 1 pass defensed
Unique opportunity: Woods graduated from Clemson with a degree in sports communication. In the spring of 2024, he completed a micro-internship with LeBron James' SpringHill Company/Uninterrupted.
School: Ohio State | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-2 | Wt: 326 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: DT4
Bucky Brooks: DT4
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT2
Pro Football Focus: DT1
Dane Brugler: DT1
2025 stats: 65 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 9 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 pass defensed
Career stats: 34 games (14 starts); 85 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 11 TFL, 2 FF, 3 passes defensed
In the family: McDonald capped his college career as a unanimous All-American and Big Ten's Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year. His older brother Jayden had won Georgia High School Defensive Player of the Year before joining Iowa and playing at Troy and Connecticut.
School: Florida (after Louisville) | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-6 | Wt: 327 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: DT3
Bucky Brooks: DT2
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT5
Pro Football Focus: DT2
Dane Brugler: DT4
2025 stats: 6 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FR
** only played three games in 2025
Career stats: 34 games (24 starts); 48 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 10.5 TFL, 3 FF, 2 FR, 3 passes defensed, 1 blocked FG
Reach for days: Banks boasted the longest wingspan at the 2026 NFL Combine, measuring a whopping 7 feet, 1.75 inches. That wingspan landed in the 99th percentile for defensive tackles and is the longest recorded at the combine since 1999.
School: Georgia | Year: RS Junior | Ht: 6-foot-4 | Wt: 321 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: DT5 (was moved from 41 to out of Top 50 overall)
Bucky Brooks: DT5
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT3
Pro Football Focus: DT4
Dane Brugler: DT3
2025 stats: 23 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 4 TFL
Career stats: 43 games (24 starts); 64 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 11.5 TFL, 1 pass defensed
Well-rounded: Miller is passionate about football but has multiple other interests, exercising creativity through his love for art and music.
School: Texas Tech (after Auburn and UCF) | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-3 ½ | Wt: 318 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: DT1
Bucky Brooks: DT3
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT4
Pro Football Focus: DT5
Dane Brugler: DT5
2025 stats: 41 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 11 TFL, 1 FF
Career stats: 52 games (37 starts); 172 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 32.5 TFL, 1 FF, 1 pass defensed
Pro Bowl visitor: During his time at UCF, Hunter attended the NFL Pro Bowl in Orlando in 2024 with Knights teammate Marcellus Marshall. The two were mic’d up for the experience, and Hunter appreciated the love shown to under-appreciated positions, which included Vikings long snapper Andrew DePaola.
School: Oklahoma | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-3 ½ | Wt: 293 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT6
Pro Football Focus: DT6
Dane Brugler: DT10
2025 stats: 33 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 7 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 passes defensed
Career stats: 47 games (10 starts); 84 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 17.5 TFL, 3 FF, 2 FR, 2 passes defensed
Halton's got hops: At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Halton recorded a vertical jump of 36.5 inches — the third highest by a defensive tackle in the event's history. He also showed his speed in the 40-yard dash, clocking in at an impressive 4.82 seconds.
School: Florida State (after Maryland & Miami) | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-5 ½ | Wt: 315 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT7
Pro Football Focus: DT8
Dane Brugler: DT9
2025 stats: 45 tackles, 3 TFL, 1.0 sack
Career stats: 50 games (37 starts); 129 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 12 TFL, 1 FF, 2 passes defensed
Relentless: In an interview for seminoles.com ahead of the team's Senior Day, Jackson discussed his collegiate career and his decisions to transfer to FSU and play another year. He also was asked to choose one word to describe his defensive play; Jackson said, "relentless."
School: Iowa State | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-2 | Wt: 322 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT8
Pro Football Focus: DT7
Dane Brugler: DT6
2025 stats: 18 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 1 pass defensed
Career stats: 50 games (24 starts); 66 tackles, 1.0 sack, 7 TFL, 2 passes defensed
'Big Citrus': Orange weighed 300 pounds by his freshman season at North High School (North Kansas City, Missouri). He surpassed 400 pounds as a senior, earning the nickname "Big Citrus." Orange saw college teams withdraw from recruiting him due to his weight, however, and he dedicated himself to improving nutrition and conditioning, dropping to 325 pounds by his junior season at Iowa State.
School: Michigan | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-3 | Wt: 298 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Mel Kiper, Jr.: NR ("just missed" Top 10)
Pro Football Focus: DT9
Dane Brugler: DT12
2025 stats: 35 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 TFL, 1 FR, 2 passes defensed
Career stats: 54 games (16 starts); 107 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 12 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 5 passes defensed
Teamed with McCarthy: Benny and Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy both were part of the Wolverines 2021 recruiting class and helped Michigan win the 2023 CFP National Championship (Benny did not get to play in the title game after suffering a leg injury in the semifinals).
School: Southeastern Louisiana | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-2 | Wt: 291 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Mel Kiper, Jr.: NR ("just missed" Top 10)
Pro Football Focus: DT11
Dane Brugler: DT14
2025 stats: 43 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 13 TFL, 2 passes defensed
Career stats: 48 games (35 starts); 134 tackles, 16 sacks, 26 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR, 2 passes defensed
Proctor's got punch: Proctor demonstrated his straight-line speed at the NFL Scouting Combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.79 seconds — the second-fastest time by a defensive tackle behind Penn State's Zane Durant.
School: Penn State | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-1 | Wt: 290 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT9
Pro Football Focus: DT18
Dane Brugler: DT17
2025 stats: 25 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 4.5 TFL, 1 INT, 2 passes defensed
Career stats: 54 games (39 starts); 89 tackles, 10 sacks, 22 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FR, 3 passes defensed
Family of athletes: Durant received an "athleticism score" of 89 by NFL.com, which ranked second among 2026 interior defenders. It's likely not a surprise to his family, which includes other athletes in various sports. Durant's father, Marcus, played football at Florida A&M. His sister Arielle played basketball at FIU, and another sister Gabrielle ran track at UCF.
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