Michigan TE/FB Max Bredeson selected by Minnesota Vikings in fifth round of 2026 NFL Draft

Michigan Wolverines football tight end / fullback Max Bredeson has been selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the No. 159 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

He’s the fifth Wolverine to be chosen this year, joining EDGE Derrick Moore (second round, Detroit Lions), tight end Marlin Klein (second round, Houston Texans), linebacker Jaishawn Barham (third round, Dallas Cowboys) and linebacker Jimmy Rolder (fourth round, Detroit Lions).

Bredeson is now joined back up with his former quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, with the Vikings. McCarthy was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 draft.

A former walk-on, Bredeson is the younger brother of former Michigan offensive lineman Ben Bredeson — a fourth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens in 2020. Ben Bredeson is currently a starting guard for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Max and Ben are the only set of brothers in the history of the Michigan program to both be two-time captains.

Still working back from a foot injury he suffered Nov. 22 at Maryland — coincidentally on a play where he caught a pass and picked up a third-down conversion — Bredeson didn’t partake in testing or drills at the combine or pro day. He did put up 22 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press at pro day.

Bredeson was a two-time captain at Michigan, and embraced his role as a blocker without much opportunity in the passing game.

“I always took pride in just doing what I was asked, doing what the team needed,” Bredeson, a two-time captain, said of his mindset in Ann Arbor. “That’s one of the biggest jobs of the fullback is just doing what the team needs. I was always trying to be a guy that someone else could count on, and I think over time the Michigan fan base grew to enjoy that.”

He logged 1,138 offensive snaps but caught only 12 passes (for 132 yards) — frequently lauded for his unselfishness.

Among players with 15 or more offensive snaps, Bredeson led the country’s tight ends with an 85.2 PFF run-blocking grade. Bredeson was named third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and earned honorable mention recognition by the media.

The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Hartland, Wisc., native is known for his grit and was named the program’s ‘toughest player’ in 2024. He exemplified that at the end of this season, when he broke his foot in the second to last game but still suited up and attempted to play the following week against Ohio State.

Bredeson has all sorts of key blocks on his highlight reel, including on some game-winning runs such as Blake Corum‘s touchdown in overtime of the CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl Jan. 1, 2024 and Kalel Mullings‘ touchdown plunge on fourth down to take a late lead over USC in September 2024.

He played in 13 games in 2024, and all 15 in 2023, helping the Wolverines win the national championship with a perfect record. Bredeson was a walk-on but later earned a scholarship. He redshirted in 2021 and appeared in 14 contests in 2022.