Oct 10, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A general view of a Minnesota Vikings fan during the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
First, it was NFL.com and former NFLer Maurice Jones-Drew.
The theory felt like an outlier — to each their own. But then CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco followed suit, publishing a mock draft on Wednesday that sent Drake Maye to the Minnesota Vikings … at the fifth overall pick.
Drake Maye — anywhere in the draft — would excite Vikings fans. He’s their guy at the moment.
But the glorious part of Maye to Minnesota per Jones-Drew and now Prisco is the spot. Maye at No. 5 would suggest the Vikings don’t have to trade the farm — the whole king’s ransom — for their quarterback of the future. Until these recent mocks, obtaining Maye felt like a transaction reserved for business with the New England Patriots, which will almost mandate more than two 1st-Rounders via trade.
Prisco explained his Maye to Vikings theory: “They make the move to go up and get their guy in Drake Maye, while the Chargers, who are re-tooling with Jim Harbaugh, get multiple first-round picks.”
Last month, Maye became more gettable for Minnesota after general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah pulled off a trade, obtaining an additional 1st-Round pick from the Houston Texans while offloading two 2nd-Rounders in the deal, plus a late-round pick swap. Most recognized the move as a sign that Minnesota would again trade up the board — probably on draft night, April 25th.
The Jones-Drew and Prisco-driven beauty of Maye at No. 5 is the price tag. Vikings enthusiasts have spent the last few weeks debating the merits of trading next year’s 1st-Rounder in a deal that could net Maye or Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. Most would obviously prefer to hang onto next year’s 1st-Round capital because Minnesota could have a lousy record in 2024 with Sam Darnold and a rookie quarterback at the helm. Trading with the Chargers — not the Washington Commanders or Patriots — would likely entail this year’s 1st-Rounders but probably not next year’s.
What’s more, the Maye-at-five theory coincides with a draft theory from last month.
Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline wrote about Maye-related sentiment from the NFL Combine, “The big news coming out of Indianapolis is the way teams are hot and cold on quarterback Drake Maye, who was expected to be a top-three pick. I was told at the combine that the New England Patriots would trade back if Jayden Daniels did not drop to their slot, the third pick of the draft. Just today, I heard further that several scouts from the Patriots organization are not fans of Maye, who really struggled down the stretch of the season. The fact that several people mentioned in conversation, not all, are sold on Maye makes this significant.”
Vikings fans will learn the team’s verdict at quarterback or otherwise in 15 days.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.