Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 20

Bleacher Report Projects Vikings to Draft Oregon TE Jamari Johnson at No. 29 in 2027

Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 20

Bleacher Report Projects Vikings to Draft Oregon TE Jamari Johnson at No. 29 in 2027

Q: Will Minnesota's unresolved quarterback battle force them to abandon a first-round tight end in favor of a new franchise passer?

Yes—if Minnesota’s quarterback situation is still unsettled after the 2026 season, that need is likely to outweigh an early tight end projection. The Jamari Johnson mock makes football sense on its own. He is emerging as one of the top tight end prospects in the 2027 class, Oregon expects him to take on a larger role, and the Vikings have a plausible long-term opening there. T.J. Hockenson’s deal has been reworked into what is effectively a contract year, his recent production has dipped after injuries, and Josh Oliver is valued more for blocking than as a featured receiver. But quarterback is the bigger swing variable. Minnesota is entering 2026 with Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy in competition, and Murray is not under contract beyond this season. If neither quarterback clearly claims the job, multiple draft projections already point to the Vikings revisiting the position in Round 1, with Notre Dame’s CJ Carr among the names linked to them. In that scenario, using a first-round pick on a passer would be the more logical move than taking a tight end. The key is that this is still an August 2026 projection for an April 2027 draft. If Murray plays well and is retained, or McCarthy develops into the answer, Minnesota could justify adding a weapon like Johnson. If the quarterback battle remains unresolved or collapses, the franchise passer question would almost certainly push tight end down the board.

1 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 20

Bleacher Report’s latest 2027 NFL mock draft slots Minnesota at No. 29 and has the Vikings taking Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson in the first round.
The projection ties the pick to roster planning around a presumed long-term quarterback answer, with the mock assuming Minnesota builds its offense after this season around a 29-year-old starter who would need an extension.
Johnson is expected to take on a larger role for Oregon in 2026 after Kenyon Sadiq’s move to the NFL, giving scouts a bigger sample before the draft in Washington next year.
For Minnesota, the mock frames Johnson as a potential successor to T.J. Hockenson and a middle-of-the-field option for an offense that already has several dynamic pieces.

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Yahoo Sports3h ago

Bleacher Report 2027 Mock Draft: Vikings Project to Pick Oregon TE Jamari Johnson

With T.J. Hockenson's future uncertain, could a rising Oregon star become the ultimate draft steal for Minnesota's evolving offense?

Will Minnesota's unresolved quarterback battle force them to abandon a first-round tight end in favor of a new franchise passer?

Can Jamari Johnson maintain his elite efficiency as Oregon's primary tight end to solidify his first-round draft status this season?

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1 total

Yahoo Sports3h ago

Bleacher Report 2027 Mock Draft: Vikings Project to Pick Oregon TE Jamari Johnson

Bleacher Report Projects Vikings to Draft Oregon TE Jamari Johnson at No. 29 in 2027

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