The Vikings are in the same boat as 27 other franchises now (and 29 after this weekend's conference championship games), mulling over experiences from 2025 and strategies to improve for next season.

A few Minnesota coaches aren't out of coaching-mode just yet, though. Three Vikings assistants are taking on roles in upcoming college All-Star Games; Derron Montgomery is heading to the East-West Shrine Bowl, and Ryan Cordell and Patrick Hill will be at the Senior Bowl to instruct potential draft picks.

The former event, which takes place in Frisco, Texas, is the longest-running college all-star game in the nation and in 2025 featured Vikings OLBs Tyler Batty and Chaz Chambliss, QB Max Brosmer, OL Joe Huber and TE Ben Yurosek. Montgomery, an offensive quality control coach who completed his fourth season with the Vikings, will be tasked with coaching the East team running backs ahead of the Jan. 27 contest.

The 77^th Senior Bowl gets underway Monday in Mobile, Alabama, and concludes on Jan. 31 when 130-plus players handpicked from around the country duke it out on the National and the American teams.

Cordell, the Vikings game management coordinator and passing game specialist, will act as the QBs coach for the National squad after wrapping his fourth season with the Vikings and 12^th in the NFL. Hill is the DL coach for the American group. This past season marked his third in Minnesota and his first as the assistant OLBs coach. Hill was part of several different college staffs before joining the pro ranks in 2023.

Note: A few years ago, the Vikings sent coaches Daronte Jones, Imarjaye Albury, Sr., and Michael Hutchings to the Senior Bowl as part of its "Coach Up" format, which gives assistants the chance to bear more responsibilities. Jones is actively interviewing for several NFL defensive coordinator roles this cycle, and Hutchings was hired to be the DC at University of California-Berkeley after helping the Vikings secondary. Albury just completed his sixth season with the Vikings and fifth on the coaching staff.

Practices for the Senior Bowl are set for Jan. 27-29 at South Alabama's Hancock Whitney Stadium.

The game itself serves as an opportunity for prospects from both well-known and less-prominent programs to shine in a competitive setting; and the week in Mobile gives personnel departments a great chance to interview players and watch their practice habits with the 2026 NFL Draft coming into focus.

Historically, the Senior Bowl is a valuable evaluation phase in the draft process. Minnesota has selected at least one Senior Bowl participant in every draft since its founding except 1962, 1971, 1972 and 1981.

Recent Vikings picks who participated include WR Tai Felton (2025), K Will Reichard (2024) and DB Jay Ward (2023). Some all-timers include Hall of Famers Randall McDaniel (1988) and Chris Doleman (1985).

Last week, NFL.com's Eric Edholm assessed the college players anticipated to attend this year. Edholm highlighted three things to know in this article: The QB class headliners, depth at DL and a mix of WRs.

FYI, Cordell is currently slated to work with Baylor's Sawyer Robertson, Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia and North Dakota State's Cole Payton; Hill's expected group as of last week (including guys listed as either a DT or DE) includes the following: Arkansas' Cameron Ball, Florida's Caleb Banks, South Carolina's Nick Barrett, Michigan's Rayshaun Benny and Derrick Moore, Boston College's Quintayvious Hutchins, Illinois' Gabe Jacas, Alabama's Tim Keenan III and LT Overton, Miami's Akheem Mesidor, Clemson's T.J. Parker, LSU's Jack Pyburn and Missouri's Chris McClellan and Zion Young; and in the Lone Star State, Montgomery will be leading these East Team running backs: UTSA's Robert Henry, Jr., Toledo's Chip Trayanum, South Alabama's Kentrel Bullock and Navy's Eli Heidenreich, plus Michigan FB Max Bredeson.

Edholm's story has a full breakdown of the Senior Bowl participants listed by position. Also keep in mind players can be added as late as next week based upon roster needs and last-minute invites/acceptances.

Additionally, to put it on your radar, Vikings.com will have a small travel party (me!) in Mobile next week to cover the happenings relevant to Minnesota, and to learn more about Cordell's and Hill's experiences.

Mock Draft SZN

In less than a week, we will begin rolling out our Mock Draft Tracker series, which surveys the internet for draft experts' buzz on what the Vikings might be thinking (usually in the first round; sometimes later).

Until then, we figured the most recent mock from The Athletic's Dane Brugler could satiate curiosities.

Brugler compiled an every-first-pick mock draft (even for teams expected not to have a Round 1 selection) before the Divisional Round of the playoffs began that has Minnesota eyeing athletic Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq with the No. 18 overall pick. Brugler wrote that Sadiq is "a big, freaky athlete with the adjustment skills to make difficult catches look routine and the mentality to be an asset as a blocker."

Additionally, Brugler declared NFL teams think Sadiq "has the talent to be a top-10 pick" so if he's available that far into Round 1, it could add value for Minnesota, which has five TEs under contract next season: T.J. Hockenson (through 2027), Josh Oliver (2028), Yurosek (2027), Gavin Bartholomew (2028) and Bryson Nesbit (2027). The other TE on the 2025 roster, Ben Sims, is a pending restricted free agent.

In other words, Sadiq might not fill a pressing need — but at No. 18 could be too tantalizing to pass on.

Across three seasons and 42 games for the Ducks, the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder posted 80 catches for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns. His receiving line in 2025 — 51-560-8 — represented his single-season highs.

During Oregon's pair of games in the College Football Playoff, Sadiq totaled nine catches for 51 yards.

Brugler's entire mock draft released Jan. 15 is here. Be sure to stay on the lookout for our Mock Draft Tracker series, beginning Tuesday. We will share several iterations of that before the April 23-25 event.

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