Jan 15, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans look on before a wild card game against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Certain drafts change the landscape of an organization. For the Minnesota Vikings, there have been a few picks in which they have hit to an extent that requires a look back with fond memories. If everything goes as planned, the upcoming selection on Thursday will fall into that category.
Throughout a franchise’s history, there will always be draft classes that stand out. The goal for a general manager each time they look at new prospects is to nail each selection from a value and quality perspective. The best classes include the most hits in that respect.
If a class isn’t highlighted by its depth, it can still be highlighted by individual selections, and that’s where Minnesota could stand to replicate things this week. Just a few days ago was the anniversary of Randy Moss being taken by the Vikings. He was a 21st overall pick and became one of the best wide receivers in NFL history.
Adrian Peterson would fit that type of outcome, and someone like Harrison Smith is also on that trajectory. Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw could get there, but they are in their respective careers’ earlier stages. Justin Jefferson has come out of the gate looking like a transcendent talent, and he, too, will invoke those feelings down the line.
Taking a quarterback is an entirely different animal. There was hope that Teddy Bridgewater could have ascended to franchise-altering levels, but he was a late pick in the round and didn’t come with the same expectations. Christian Ponder was a massive reach, and it was evident from the get-go that he would always leave something to be desired.
Even if the Vikings don’t move up from the 11th overall pick, they may find themselves in a spot to grab a prospect with an unmatched ceiling compared to franchise history. If they trade higher into the round, they’ll do so with the intention of drafting a top-4 quarterback, and things get very interesting.
Should any of the top prospects make their way to Minnesota, the ultimate outcome would be getting a talent that holds down the position for years. Being able to keep the quarterback on their rookie contract and then sign them to a deserved extension for massive dollars is exactly what you’d want to see play out.
Realistically, anything but relative success from the quarterback selected in this draft will spell the end of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell’s careers with the Vikings. Leaders often get one chance to get the quarterback right, and this is the swing for the purple. In a competitive rebuild, neither can afford to miss.
Thursday has a chance to be a day when Minnesota fans look back years from now and remember where they were when that guy was taken.
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.