After spending four seasons at The Big House, the fullback/tight end will reunite with his national champion-winning quarterback, JJ McCarthy, in Minneapolis after the Minnesota Vikings selected Max Bredeson as their 159th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Though a versatile player, Max Bredeson will more than likely feature as a full-back (FB). The Vikings' official website writer, Rob Kleifield, wrote,

“The Vikings selected former Wolverines fullback Max Bredeson in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday, providing the team a replacement for two-time Pro Bowl FB C.J. Ham, who retired in March.” 

Unlike most of the draft picks who were recruited out of high school, Bredeson had an unconventional route to the NFL. Bredeson began his college career as a walk-on tight end. He appeared in 14 games and started one in the 2022 season, having five receptions for 78 yards. 

That role expanded in the 2023 season, where the Wolverines won the national championship, led by Jim Harbaugh and QB JJ McCarthy, and at the end of that very season, Bredeson was named Michigan’s Most Improved Player on offense in 2023. 

According to AlexRollinsNFL on YT, JJ McCarthy has struggled after making a step up the ladder. While he has been unlucky with injuries, there are also glaring issues with his poor performances, which are accompanied by struggles to anticipate open windows, mechanics, poor posture, and pocket management. 

It also does not look good for JJ McCarthy heading into the 2026 NFL season, as the Vikings have signed Kyler Murray after the Arizona Cardinals released him. Now that the Vikings have drafted McCarthy’s teammate, will this help light a fire in his belly, and will everyone be able to go back to seeing the 2023 version of the quarterback? 

What Is Bredeson’s Relationship With JJ McCarthy Like?

The full-back shares a close bond with JJ McCarthy, his former and present QB. McCarthy and Bredeson were part of the same recruiting class at Ann Arbor. 

"We came [to Michigan] in the same recruiting class," Bredeson said of his close relationship with McCarthy. "It's actually crazy, we threw with the same quarterback coach in high school. He turned out to be a better quarterback than I am, unfortunately. But known him for a while. Best friends through playing at Michigan, the great wins we got to have together. Just grew close to [him] through all that."

JJ McCarthy made sure he was there for his best friend's moment in Bredeson’s hometown of Hartland, Wisconsin. 

"For him to be here is definitely special," Bredeson said, smiling. "Really cool that it timed up like that."

From Ann Arbor to the Twin Cities, how will Max Bredeson do in the National Football League?

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Written by

Samvruth Raj

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi