EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings aren’t waiting for the draft to make noise. After re-signing veteran quarterback Carson Wentz on Thursday to backup Kyler Murray, the front office is reportedly looking at a massive aggressive move to overhaul their ground game. The latest 2026 mock draft from The Athletic’s Alec Lewis suggests the Vikings are ready to ship significant assets to the Miami Dolphins to secure Notre Dame’s electric running back, Jeremiyah Love.
Minnesota currently sits at the 18th overall pick, but Lewis projects a jump to No. 11. The cost? The Vikings would send their first-rounder, a 2027 third-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick to a Dolphins team currently tearing down for an extensive rebuild. For head coach Kevin O’Connell, the move addresses a glaring weakness: a total lack of explosive speed in the backfield.
While Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason provided stability last season, the numbers are brutal. Neither back recorded a single rush over 20 mph in 2025. In an offense designed to stretch defenses vertically, the lack of a “home-run” threat has allowed safeties to cheat toward Justin Jefferson. Love, who averaged a staggering 6.9 yards per carry at Notre Dame last year, changes that math instantly.
“Love’s fit in Minnesota is tantalizing. He has home-run hitting ability… he is also an exceptional pass catcher. You can imagine how productive he’d be in a system that requires defenses to play vertically.”
— Alec Lewis, The Athletic
The biggest hurdle isn’t the trade cost—it’s the board. ESPN’s Matt Miller currently lists Love as the No. 1 overall player on his big board. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler isn’t far behind, slotting the Irish star at No. 3 in his Top 100. If Love is truly the generational talent many believe, a slide to 11 seems like a pipe dream. However, with several teams ahead of the Vikings desperate for offensive tackle help and the emergence of Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, a draft-day slide for a specialist remains possible.
Landing Love would give Kyler Murray a dual-threat weapon reminiscent of Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson. For a Vikings team that has spent the last two years “playing the hits” with veteran stop-gaps, this would be the definitive pivot toward a high-ceiling future.
