Brian O'Neill
Minnesota VikingsModel Score
How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →
Season Stats · 14 games
Draft & College
Comps
STM Take
Three top-16 finishes in five seasons (#8 in 2021, #6 in 2024, #16 in 2025) with the 2023 Achilles injury (tier 6 #45) as the only outlier confirms genuine tier 1-2 ceiling when healthy. At 31 with the Achilles two years in the rearview, the 2026 trajectory is sustained tier 2 production, with tier 1 spike years remaining possible.
O'Neill came out of Pittsburgh as Minnesota's 2nd-round pick (62nd overall) in 2018. He has spent his entire career at right tackle for the Vikings and made the 2022 Pro Bowl. His STTM arc has been jagged: tier 1 (#8) in 2021, tier 3 (#24) in 2022, tier 6 (#45) in 2023, tier 1 (#6) in 2024, and tier 2 (#16) in 2025. A 2023 Achilles injury was the root cause of the down year between his two peaks; the recovery curve has been classic late-Achilles bounce.
Strengths
- 2022 Pro Bowl plus three top-16 STTM finishes (#8, #6, #16) confirms genuine elite-tier RT production. Career-long Vikings tenure means institutional knowledge is locked in.
- Recovery from 2023 Achilles tear back to tier 1 (#6) in 2024 is a notable rehab outcome; few OTs return to peak production within a year of that injury.
Concerns
- 2023 Achilles injury (tier 6 #45 finish) is a precedent for how quickly health can change the trajectory at his age. Achilles ruptures often have lingering effects for years.
- Vikings' QB transition (Kirk Cousins to JJ McCarthy) plus the WR room volatility around Justin Jefferson puts more responsibility on the pass-protection unit.
What to watch: Whether O'Neill's 2026 snap share stays above 95% and his sack rate stays under 2.5%, the thresholds that confirm sustained tier 2 production.