With the No. 159 pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Michigan Wolverines fullback/tight end Max Bredeson.

If Jim Harbaugh’s soul were a modern-day football player, it would be Max Bredeson. Bredeson’s team-first mentality and sacrificial physicality epitomized Michigan’s resurgence in the 2020s. Behind Bredeson, running backs like Blake Corum, Kalel Mullings, Donovan Edwards, Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall enjoyed career spikes, thousands of yards and several dozen touchdowns.

Bredeson brings a specific skillset to the next level that has seen a resurgence, as power running returns to the forefront of NFL schemes. A block-first, ask-questions-later approach will make him a camp favorite as Bredeson works to carve out a role as a modern fullback and special teams contributor

Michigan fans will remember Bredeson for his leadership, selflessness and numerous touchdown-creating blocks, and none more than his edge-setting block to help spring Corum in overtime of the Rose Bowl.

Max Bredeson is a glass-eating glue guy whose effort level fluctuates between 500 and 600 percent. A niche talent, Bredeson should be singularly used as a culture-setting run blocker who specializes in the dirty work. If used correctly, Bredeson is a rare, additive-only player, but if used outside his established purview, he will struggle to maintain a home.