As forthcoming as Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was about strategy heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, he wouldn’t tip his hand about what the Vikings were going to do with the 24th overall pick.

Maybe because he’s still trying to figure it out himself.

There are a couple of ways the Vikings could proceed when they’re on the clock for the first time. They could trade back with hopes of giving themselves more darts to throw, or they could stay put and simply take the best player available.

“It’s about impact,” Adofo-Mensah said. “That impact can be a great player or multiple good players.”

That statement is essentially the ethos of the 2025 NFL Draft as it pertains to the Vikings. With only four overall picks in Rounds 1, 3, 5 and 6, they don’t have many arrows in their quiver. So, whatever they decide to do with that No. 24 pick will shape everything else.

Here’s a complete mock draft without any trades:

Round 1, Pick 24: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

The decision to select Luther Burden III might seem silly on the surface because he doesn’t exactly fill a position of need. But who cares? He has proven to be a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands, which, in theory, could unlock another dimension for the Vikings’ offense.

It’s not hard to imagine Burden working out of the slot alongside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. The ability to take such a big swing in this spot exists because the Vikings did such a good job filling weaknesses in free agency. The addition of Burden also would serve as a nice insurance policy, with Addison likely facing a suspension stemming from his DUI arrest last summer.

Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) runs the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

Round 3, Pick 97: Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas

Think of Andrew Mukuba as somebody who could help fill the void left by Cam Bynum in the short term while learning the ropes to help replace Harrison Smith in the long term.

Though his slender 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame might not be exactly what Brian Flores is looking for at the position, Mukuba plays with a reckless abandon that should translate to the next level. It also helps that Mukuba won’t have the weight of the world on his shoulders as he joins a group that includes Smith, Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson and Jay Ward.

Texas defensive back Andrew Mukuba (4) intercepts a pass intended for Arizona State wide receiver Melquan Stovall (5) during overtime in the quarterfinals of a College Football Playoff game, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Atlanta. Texas won 39-31 in two overtime periods. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Round 5, Pick 139: Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia

There’s a good chance Trevor Etienne is gone by this point. If he’s still available, the Vikings should pick him without much of a second thought. Never mind that Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason are expected to lead the backfield moving forward. It would be wise to start laying the foundation for the future by adding somebody like Etienne to the mix. He’s a talented player that doesn’t appear to have any major weaknesses in his game. That could be useful with Jones possibly entering the twilight of his career.

Georgia running back Trevor Etienne (1) runs from Notre Dame linebacker Drayk Bowen (34) during the first half in the quarterfinals of a College Football Playoff, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Round 6, Pick 187: Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska

The fact that Ty Robinson turns 24 years old in the very near future is the biggest reason he could fall. Not that the Vikings should be scared about selecting him. He possess the size (6-foot-5, 288 pounds) and strength required to be an effective rotational player on the interior of the defensive line. After the Vikings added Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in free agency, Robinson would help round out the group.

Iowa quarterback Jackson Stratton (19) runs form Nebraska defensive lineman Ty Robinson (9) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Fresh off her team winning the Women’s Basketball Invitational, Minnesota coach Dawn Plitzuweit has experienced guard depth through the NCAA transfer portal. Brylee Glenn comes as a grad transfer after playing three seasons at Kansas State.

Glen was an integral part on a Wildcats team that went 27-7 overall, 13-5 in the Big 12 and advanced to the NCAA tournament, where she earned a combined seven points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals in a victory over Portland and loss to Colorado.

“We believe that Brylee’s versatility, toughness and experience will be incredibly valuable,” Plitzuweit said in a statement. “We are looking forward to having her on campus with us soon.”

Glenn is 5-foot-11 and started all 34 of the Wildcats’ games, averaging 6.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists. She is originally from Kansas City, Mo.

Plitzuweit praised her talent as a defender and added, “On the offensive end, she has the ability to impact the game by handling and attacking, which can create a scoring opportunity for herself or her teammates.”

Glenn scored a season-high 23 points to go with three steals against Oklahoma State last season.

“The most important thing to me was going somewhere where I could have an impact and where I would both fit and thrive in a system,” Glenn said in a statement. “I knew that this was the place I could see myself playing for my final year with the goal of doing big things as a team.”

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By JOSH FUNK, AP Business Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — America’s only rare earths mine heard from anxious companies soon after China responded to President Donald Trump’s tariffs this month by limiting exports of those minerals used for military applications and in many high-tech devices.

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“Based on the number of phone calls we’re receiving, the effects have been immediate,” said Matt Sloustcher, a spokesperson for MP Materials, the company that runs the Mountain Pass mine in California’s Mojave Desert.

The trade war between the world’s two biggest economies could lead to a critical shortage of rare earth elements if China maintains its export controls long-term or expands them to seek an advantage in any trade negotiations. The California mine can’t meet all of the U.S. demand for rare earths, which is why Trump is trying to clear the way for new mines.

Rare earth elements are important ingredients in electric vehicles, powerful magnets, advanced fighter jets, submarines, smartphones, television screens and many other products. Despite their name, the 17 elements aren’t actually rare, but it’s hard to find them in a high enough concentration to make a mine worth the investment.

Tariffs will impact ore supply and costs

MP Materials, which acquired the idle Mountain Pass site in 2017, said Thursday it would stop sending its ore to China for processing because of the export restrictions and 125% tariffs on U.S. imports China imposed. The company said it would continue processing nearly half of what it mines on site and store the rest while it works to expand its processing capability.

“Selling our valuable critical minerals under 125% tariffs is neither commercially rational nor aligned with America’s national interests,” MP Materials said in a statement.

Experts say the manufacturers that rely on rare earth elements and other critical minerals will see price increases, but there is likely enough of a global supply available to keep factories operating for now.

The California mine yields neodymium and praseodymium, the light rare earths that are the main components of the permanent rare earth magnets in EVs and wind turbines. But small amounts of some of the heavy rare earths that China has restricted, such as terbium and dysprosium are key to helping the magnets withstand high temperatures.

Already, the price of terbium has jumped 24% since the end of March to reach $933 per kilogram.

“Our estimate suggests that there is enough stockpile in the market to sustain demand for now,” Benchmark Mineral Intelligence rare earths analyst Neha Mukherjee said, adding that shortages may emerge later this year.

China holds power over the market

China has tremendous power over the rare earths market. The country has the biggest mines, producing 270,000 metric tons (297,624 tons) of minerals last year compared to the 45,000 tons (40,823 metric tons) mined in the U.S. China supplies nearly 90% of the world’s rare earths because it also is home to most of the processing capacity.

The restrictions Beijing put in place on April 4 require Chinese exporters of seven heavy rare earths and some magnets to obtain special licenses. The retaliatory controls reinforced what the Trump administration and manufacturers see as a dire need to build additional U.S. mines and reduce the nation’s dependence on China.

Trump has tried, so far unsuccessfully, to strong-arm Greenland and Ukraine into providing more of their rare earths and other critical materials to the United States. Last month, he signed an executive order calling for the federal government to streamline permit approvals for new mines and encourage investments in the projects.

Two companies are trying to develop mines in Nebraska and Montana. Officials at NioCorp and U.S. Critical Materials said they hoped the push from the White House would help them raise money and obtain the necessary approvals to start digging. NioCorp has worked for years to raise $1.1 billion to build a mine in southeast Nebraska.

FILE – NioCorp Chief Operating Officer Scott Honan tells a group of investors about the plans for a proposed mine in southeast Nebraska, on Oct. 6, 2021 in Elk Creek, Neb. (AP Photo/Josh Funk, File)

“As I sit and I think about how can we deal with this enormous leverage that China has over these minerals that nobody even knows how to pronounce for the most part, we have to deal with this leverage situation,” NioCorp CEO Mark Smith said. “And the best way, I think, is that we need to make our own heavy rare earths here in the United States. And we can do that.”

MP Materials is working to quickly expand its processing capability, partly with the help of some $45 million the company received coming out of the first Trump administration. But after investing nearly $1 billion since 2020, the company doesn’t currently have the ability to process the heavy rare earths that China is restricting. MP Materials said it was working expeditiously to change that, and it is building a factory in Texas to produce rare earth magnets for electric vehicles and other products domestically and chip away at China’s dominance in that market..

Big U.S. automakers declined to comment about how dependent they are on rare earths and the impact of China’s export curbs. Major defense contractors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, which were specifically targeted in China’s restrictions along with more than a dozen other defense and aerospace companies, also remained circumspect.

Military technology is a smaller but important user of rare earths. Trump issued an executive order on Tuesday calling for an investigation into the national security implications of being so reliant on China for the elements.

A spokesperson for Lockheed, which makes the F-22 fighter jet, said the company continuously assesses “the global rare earth supply chain to ensure access to critical materials that support our customers’ missions.”

Manufacturers prepare for price increases

Some battery makers could start to run short of key elements within weeks, according to Steve Christensen, executive director of the Responsible Battery Coalition, an association representing battery and automakers and battery sellers.

Already, manufacturers have seen the price of antimony, an element used to extend the life of traditional lead-acid batteries, more than double since China restricted exports of it last year. The element isn’t one of the 17 rare earths but is among the critical minerals that Trump wants to see produced domestically.

Initially, automakers will likely try to absorb any increase in the cost of their batteries without raising vehicle prices, but that may not be sustainable if China’s restrictions remain in place, Christensen said. A 25% tariff Trump put on all imported automobiles and auto parts cars already was expected to increase costs, although the president hinted this week that he might give the industry a temporary reprieve.

The U.S. fulfilled its rare earths needs with domestic sources until the late 1990s. Production largely ended after low-cost Chinese ores flooded global markets. Robots, drones and other new technologies have rapidly increased demand for the raw materials.

FILE – NioCorp Corporate Controller Jeff Mason shows investors core samples the mining company has collected while NioCorp CEO Mark Smith listens, Oct. 6, 2021 in Elk Creek, Neb. (AP Photo/Josh Funk, File)

NioCorp recently signed a contract to do more exploratory drilling on its site this summer to help prove to the Export-Import Bank that enough rare earth minerals rest underground near Elk Creek, Nebraska, to justify an $800 million loan to help finance the project.

But a new rare earths mine is years away from operating in the U.S. NioCorp estimates if all goes well with its fundraising, the site where it hopes to mine and process niobium, scandium, titanium and an assortment of rare earths possibly might be running by the end of Trump’s presidency.

U.S. Critical Materials plans to dig up several tons of ore in Montana this summer so it can test out processing methods it has been developing. The Sheep Creek project isn’t as far along as the Nebraska project, but U.S. Critical Materials Director Harvey Kaye said the site has promising ore deposits with high concentrations of rare earths.

Minnesota United vs. FC Dallas

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Allianz Field
Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Radio: KSTP-AM, 1500
Weather: 54 degrees, clear skies, 6 mph south wind
Betting line: MNUFC minus-150; draw plus-300; Dallas plus-360

Form: Loons (4-1-3, 15 points) are unbeaten in seven straight matches, including a scoreless draw at Toronto last weekend. United’s point total is the best in club history through eight matches. Dallas (3-3-2, 11 points) is coming off a 1-0 loss to Seattle Sounders.

Context: United is unbeaten at home (2-0-1) so far this season and will have five of its next seven matches in St. Paul.

Recent matchups: Dallas throttled MNUFC 5-3 in Frisco, Texas last June; the most goals an Eric Ramsay side has allowed in the MLS regular season. Petar Musa posted a hat trick within 62 minutes. Less than two weeks earlier, the two sides played to a 1-1 draw in St. Paul.

Look-ahead: Minnesota will face schedule congestion around the corner: an MLS away game at Austin (May 3), at Louisville City in U.S. Open Cup (May 7) and the most-circled MLS game of the season, hosting Inter Miami and Lionel Messi (May 10).

Deadline: MLS’ primary transfer window closes on Wednesday and head coach Eric Ramsay addressed how active Loons might be in the final days:

“We will certainly have our finger on the pulse to how things are moving over the course of the coming weeks. We are obviously in a relatively good place and the form is suggesting that. I don’t think anyone from the club is looking at us in desperate need.”

Buzz: The Loons roster is filled with NBA fans and many were angling on Friday for tickets to Game 3 of the Timberwolves-Lakers series at Target Center. Games 1 and 4 directly conflict with MNUFC’s schedule.

Absences: Owen Gene (ankle), Kipp Keller (hamstring) and Hassani Dotson (knee) are out.

Quote: Robin Lod was an MLS All-Star last season, but the 32-year-old has not contributed to a goal this year. Ramsay said Lod’s play has “often been at the heart” of the team’s review meetings.

“He had such an exceptional year last year in terms of numbers and big moments that I think anything in comparison to that is going to leave people wanting. But I feel like we are in a really good place if we are getting the results and we are yet to see the very best of Robin. We are seeing it moments. I’m not worried about that and I’m sure he will come good.”

Scouting report: Dallas spent $5 million in a cash-for-player trade to acquire Lucho Acosta in February. The 2023 MLS MVP has three goals but no assists in 708 minutes. Musa has been more of a talisman, with three goals and three assists in 673 minutes.

Big question: Will Musa play? The Dallas Designated Player was stretchered off the field with an ankle injury in stoppage time on Saturday night.

‘Stats: Dallas has been held under 0.7 expected goals in three games this season, including 0.6 versus Seattle last weekend. Minnesota has held four opponents under that xG mark, including Toronto last Saturday.

Prediction: If Musa doesn’t play, more attention will be paid to Acosta and that will play into United’s ability to produce its fifth clean sheet of the season. Loons earn a 1-0 win.