The Minnesota Vikings may have resolved their running back issues in the 2026 NFL Draft.

This year’s NFL Draft was critical for the organization after multiple repeated failures in previous draft classes. And while most of the attention has been directed toward the top defensive picks, sixth-round pick Demond Claiborne continues to make noise within the running back room this offseason.

When asked about Claiborne, Vikings veteran running back Aaron Jones Sr. said he will be “a special back in this league.”

“You can see it,” Jones Sr. said, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Right away, just getting in and out of the cuts. He’s a special back in this league. I get to mentor him up and show him the way. I told him I want him to be successful, I want to see him go on and get paid and those kinds of things. He’ll be playing in this league as long as he wants to, but [he] just got to lock in here and take care of the business.”

Claiborne’s Potential With Vikings

Claiborne, despite being a sixth-round pick in the most recent NFL Draft, showed plenty of promise throughout his time with the Demon Deacons. During his four seasons in the ACC, the prolific running back accumulated 2,599 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns on 558 carries. In addition to his electric showing on the ground, Claiborne also recorded 394 receiving yards and two touchdowns in his final two seasons at Wake Forest.

While Claiborne did not have the resume of some of the top running backs in the recent draft class, his showing at the 2026 NFL Combine put his name on the map. His impressive 4.37 40-yard dash was backed up by multiple explosive runs on his tape and a 10’2″ broad jump.

Now, Claiborne is in a perfect situation to take the next step with the Vikings.

Minnesota’s running back room features Jones Sr., who, at 31, is near the end of his professional career. The former Green Bay Packers standout played in just 12 games for the Vikings in 2025, recording 548 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 132 carries.

The real competition for Claiborne in the running back room, however, is 27-year-old Jordan Mason.

After being traded to the Vikings before last season, Mason quickly became one of the lead catalysts on offense, ending his fourth NFL season with 758 rushing yards and a career-high six touchdowns on 159 carries.