The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh this week, in a city where the Vikings could select the next star they add to their roster in hopes of righting the proverbial ship. In the final days and moments ahead of the selections starting on Thursday, there is still plenty of mock drafts to sort through.

NFL Media's Chad Reuter recently released the latest 2026 NFL mock draft of the cycle, which has the team going in the defensive direction with a pick we have not yet seen. The pick goes in the way of Colton Hood, a cornerback out of Tennessee. Most people remain focused on Jermod McCoy, but Hood should not be forgotten as they look towards getting a shutdown cornerback.

Reuter explains the Hood pick, writing, "The Vikings come away from this pick hoping the speedy, fiery Hood ends their interminable search for a shutdown outside corner. They have a long-term need at the position, too, with Isaiah Rodgers set to enter free agency after 2026 and Byron Murphy due a huge base salary ($17.4 million, per Over The Cap) in 2027."

Hood would be a welcome addition to the secondary and someone that Brian Flores could build around alongside Byron Murphy Jr. They need a youth infusion in the secondary, and if it isn't safety, then cornerback makes the most sense.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFL Draft: Vikings projected to land a cornerback in new mock draft