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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JUNE 25: A view of the Hennepin County Government center amidst the buildings downtown on June 25, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings just got a big-time update in regards to their potential hosting of the 2028 NFL Draft.
Albert Breer, a senior NFL reporter, shared a major update regarding their bid to host the event in two years.
“The expectation is that the Twin Cities will be awarded the 2028 draft at the meetings. So, a big contingent, including ownership, will be in Orlando for that.”
This would be the first NFL Draft held in Minneapolis since the traveling-tradition of the event commenced in 2015. It’ll only have been 13 years since the roaming draft began, but the Vikings are now the last NFC North team to host it.
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Joe Nelson of Sports Illustrated shared the details on what would be the biggest sporting event in Minnesota since 2019.
“The 2028 draft would be the biggest sporting event hosted in Minnesota since the 2019 NCAA basketball men’s Final Four. Before that, U.S. Bank Stadium hosted the 2018 Super Bowl, which came during a frigid week in February in which Minneapolis blocked off Nicolett Mall for indoor and outdoor festivities.
If the draft does indeed come to the Twin Cities in 2028, the expectation would be that it’s held April 27-29, with events taking place at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Mall of America, and the Viking Lakes development, which includes the team’s headquarters, TCO Performance Center, in Eagan.”
The city of Pittsburgh just broke the NFL Draft attendance record in 2026 with a reported 805,000 attendees. It’s hard to predict if Minnesota can break that record. Yes, the Twin Cities population includes 3.7 million to Pittsburgh’s 307,000. However, Pittsburgh is in close proximity to cities like Cleveland, Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.
If Minnesota fans can show out, as well as fans from Green Bay, Chicago, and Detroit, they very well could break the million-mark.
GettyJonathan Allen #93, Byron Murphy Jr. #7, and Theo Jackson #26 of the Minnesota Vikings react after defeating the Chicago Bears following the game at Soldier Field on September 08, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report recently named a surprise cut candidate for each NFL team. For the Minnesota Vikings, it was safety Theo Jackson.
“Last season, Theo Jackson moved up on the Minnesota Vikings’ safety depth chart, playing 60 percent of the team’s defensive snaps.
After a step forward in his development, Jackson may be less productive as the Vikings’ No. 3 safety. He could lose his roster spot if rookie third-rounder Jakobe Thomas shows promising signs in the next phases of the Vikings’ offseason program.”
If Harrison Smith is to return, it may raise the chance that Jackson would get let go. Inversely, if Smith doesn’t return, then Minnesota could end up needing Jackson to stay. They are a bit thin at the position as it is, as Josh Metellus isn’t a traditional safety; he’s more of a rover.
This also all depends on how quick rookie Jakobe Thomas picks up on things in camp. He has quite the favorable path to starting quickly, especially if Harrison Smith calls it a career this offseason.
Regardless of who starts, Vikings fans always have something to hang their hat on. Brian Flores is still the defensive coordinator in Minnesota, and it’s likely that he will make whatever cast of characters he has look good.
Brevan Bane Brevan Bane is a sports scribe covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals. Brevan began his writing career by making a platform on Twitter and leveraging his presence into writing and content creation opportunities for outlets like PurplePTSD, Vikings Territory, The Noise, Hockey Wilderness, and the VikesNow YouTube channel. You can follow him on X @brevmanbane. More about Brevan Bane
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