More Mock Draft Smoke for Vikings Big QB Draft Trade

Dustin Baker   |  

Jan 31, 2024

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Quarterback trade theories involving the Minnesota Vikings are hot and heavy, all over the place, and the calendar has yet to hit February.

More Mock Draft Smoke for Vikings Big QB Draft Trade

Minnesota has an almighty decision on Kirk Cousins’ impending free agency, and if it doesn’t re-sign the passer, most believe the Vikings will effectuate a splashy trade up the draftboard in April for a quarterback or stand pat at No. 11 and select a player like Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.

And amid that quarterback speculation, another mock draft forecasted a purple trade this week, a swap with the Arizona Cardinals at the No. 4 hole for the Vikings to grab LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. FootballGuys.com was the latest and predicted this trade:

FG’s Christian Williams explained the trade and pick, “The Vikings must look to keep Kirk Cousins this offseason if they want to contend for the NFC North, but a more feasible succession plan should emerge. Moving up for Jayden Daniels allows for short-term investment in Cousins while getting a player who fits Kevin O’Connell’s system well while adding a rushing dynamic yet to be explored.”

Fox Sports published a similar mock draft last week, with Daniels landing in Minnesota.

Editor Josh Frey of VikingsTerritory’s sister site, PurplePTSD, wrote about Daniels last month, “Daniels possesses a rocket of an arm which allows him to spread the ball across all three levels of the field, and he throws accurately as well. His average depth of target was 10.5 yards this season, ranking 17th among 86 QBs in college football with at least 300 drop backs, per PFF.”

Daniels has both delicious traits desired by Vikings fans and NFL general managers — he can hurl the ball from the pocket and scramble like a mini-Lamar Jackson. In fact, depending on his NFL Combine performance, Daniels could leapfrog Drake Maye on the draftboard. Stay tuned.

Additionally, the Vikings enjoy LSU alums. They’ve drafted four players from LSU, Daniels’ school, in the last four drafts:

• WR Justin Jefferson (2020)
• RG Ed Ingram (2022)
• DL Jaquelin Roy (2023)
• S Jay Ward (2023)

Perhaps Daniels will be the fifth in five years, especially at that FootballGuys trade pricetag. It’s quite reasonable for a possible quarterback of the future.

The NFL Draft is 85 days away.

Also Read:
The “Kirk Cousins Curse” Can Still Live On

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.