The Minnesota Vikings loved having C.J. Ham in their backfield for the last 10 seasons. With him retiring, folks were curious who would step into his role as the bruiser of the backfield, and we now have the answer.
With the 159th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected fullback/tight end Max Bredeson out of Michigan. It is a pick for the Vikings that addressed a big need they had on offense, as they run an offense that not many in the NFL do anymore, so they need that versatile piece to accompany the quarterback and running back in the backfield.
As for the pick grade, it is going to be a good one.
Bredeson was the top fullback on the consensus board by a wide margin. If the Vikings were going to draft a Ham replacement, Bredeson seemed to be destined to be the choice. The move is not going to be flashiest but Bredeson is going to be making some critical blocks in 2026 and beyond so we are going to grade with those expectations in our head.
Grade: A-
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFL Draft: Grading the Vikings selection of Max Bredeson in Round 5
