Pete Prisco’s Vikings Mock Draft Is Pretty Sweet
In 23 days, the Minnesota Vikings will announce a grand climax to the 2024 offseason at the NFL draft, probably a quarterback selection to lead life after Kirk Cousins.
Pete Prisco’s Vikings Mock Draft Is Pretty Sweet
The Atlanta Falcons signed Cousins three weeks ago, and he’ll take the big job in the NFC South for the next four seasons. In return, Minnesota signed veteran signal-caller Sam Darnold as a patchover quarterback and insurance policy while the Vikings fanbase awaits the team’s rookie quarterback decision.
According to CBS Sports, that man will be North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
Pete Prisco authored a mock draft on Tuesday featuring a Vikings trade with the Arizona Cardinals. He explained, “Here is my Mock No. 1. It includes a major trade. That trade has the Minnesota Vikings moving up to the fourth spot with the Arizona Cardinals to take North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. The Vikings would give up two first-round picks to do so, one of which they acquired in a trade two weeks ago from the Houston Texans, to land Maye. They would also have to sprinkle in a few more picks to sweeten the deal, but getting a franchise quarterback is a must.”
The Vikings could realistically trade with any team in the No. 2, 3, 4, or 5 spots to net a quarterback of the future.
“In this mock, I have the quarterbacks going 1-2-3-4, with Caleb Williams going to the Chicago Bears with the first pick, followed by Jayden Daniels to the Washington Commanders at No. 2 and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy to the New England Patriots with the third pick. The Vikings would then take Maye. The infatuation with McCarthy is strange in my eyes, but the league loves him, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him go ahead of Maye,” Prisco continued.
Maye has become a Vikings draft darling in recent weeks — basically from the moment general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah executed the trade with the Texans, mentioned by Prisco, on March 15th.
Prisco then chose Maye for the Vikings and noted, “They make the bold move to go get a quarterback, which they must do. Drake Maye is rumored to be their guy.”
Maye is prototypically sized at 6’4″ and 230 pounds and isn’t afraid to get out of the pocket and scramble. At heart, he’s a pocket passer who can “do both” in terms of slinging the pigskin and getting mobile when needed. After an era involving fan-driven division regarding Cousins — folks almost had to choose between “pro-Cousins” or “anti-Cousins”— Maye would merge both camps, at least in theory.
In February, Minnesota hired Josh McCown as a quarterback coach, and he conveniently coached Maye in high school. Many construed the hire as a hint about the Vikings’ draft plans.
Maye will turn 22 in August.
Quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix notably fell out of Round 1 in Prisco’s mock.
There’s a Vikings Suspension
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.
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