One QB Is Worth Waiting for Vikings

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

On Thursday, the Minnesota Vikings will be on the clock with the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. There has been plenty of speculation about where the team will go with that selection, but the most exciting option is certainly under center. What if they wait, though?

Ultimately the Minnesota Vikings need a successor to Kirk Cousins. He is under contract for just one more season, and the sides have not hammered out yet another extension. With Nick Mullens rostered as his backup, the reality is that Kevin O’Connell needs a talent he can turn to for the future.

One QB Is Worth Waiting for Vikings

If that player isn’t going to be drafted in the first round or traded for, the Vikings could decide to look for a value pick in the later rounds. They went this route with Kellen Mond a few years ago, and he turned out to be of little value at the professional level. Hitting on the right guy could make all the difference, and ESPN’s latest quarterback mock brings up an interesting name.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson was highly regarded as a recruit and featured prominently in Chip Kelly’s high-flying UCLA offense. He won’t have the same pedigree as the top quarterbacks in this draft, but there are tools to like with this kid.

One QB Is Worth
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN’s Matt Miller says, “We have the Vikings getting a solid developmental passer with experience, arm talent and mobility.”

Fellow contributor Jordan Reid said this about Thompson-Robinson, “Beyond the great arm and rushing ability, his anticipation in the intermediate areas and scheme versatility as a passer stand out. Heading into last season, DTR was inconsistent playing within the framework of the offense and didn’t always make good decisions with the football, but he had a breakout final year with the Bruins.”

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports.

It may wind up that Thompson-Robinson never makes the leap to NFL starter, but he put his best foot forward during his last year with the Bruins, and he could serve as a solid backup in the league for a long time to come. That doesn’t help a Vikings team that needs a replacement for Cousins, but he could operate as a transitional type of quarterback until the organization finds that guy.

Without question, the Vikings have to add a quarterback at some point in this draft, and outside of them making a move to add one of the premier four options in the first round, they’ll be forced to find value with a guy they feel confident about.

Nov 5, 2022; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (1) hurdles Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Chris Edmonds (5) in the first half at Sun Devil Stadium. Ncaa Ucla At Asu

Scouting will be the name of the game when it comes to a later pick, and if Minnesota opts to wait on a signal caller, they need to get it much more right than last time around with Mond.


Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.

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