Vikings Say Hello to 7 Rookies
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings have completed the 2024 NFL Draft, and inside the event, the club plotted a course for the future.
Vikings Say Hello to 7 Rookies
Minnesota headlined the draft with a fancy 1st Round, trading twice and grabbing a franchise quarterback and cornerstone EDGE defender. Now, fans wait for four short months until meaningful Vikings football, as minicamp, training camp, and the preseason will arrive this summer.
These are the new players drafted by the Vikings.
1. J.J. McCarthy (QB)
When: Round 1 (Pick 10)
College: Michigan
Size: 6’3″ | 219 lbs
Age: 21
The Good: He was one of the top quarterbacks under pressure and on 3rd Down in 2023, leading his team to a National Championship in January. He also has the arm to make all the necessary throws in the NFL.
The Bad: Michigan never really asked to “win a game by himself.” McCarthy may have the gunslinger skillset, but he’s never consistently been asked to use it. Some fear he’s a game manager, a dreaded term for quarterbacks.
2. Dallas Turner (EDGE)
When: Round 1 (Pick 17)
College: Alabama
Size: 6’4″ | 251 lbs
Age: 21
The Good: Turner is fast, can stop the run, and is incredibly young. He’s close to a lock to succeed as a pro and was usually the first defensive player off folks’ mock draft boards before Thursday.
The Bad: Minnesota spent a lot to get him. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah shipped his 23rd overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars along with a 2025 3rd-Round pick, a 2024 4th-Rounder, and a 2024 5th-Round selection for Turner.
3. Khyree Jackson (CB)
When: Round 4 (Pick 108)
College: Oregon
Size: 6’4″ | 195 lbs
Age: 24
The Good: Jackson instantly becomes Minnesota’s tallest cornerback, and that’s important because the club was tormented a few times last year by tall wide receivers. The Duck is long and feisty, already declaring himself the best cornerback in the draft. He has a chip on his shoulder.
The Bad: For a rookie, Jackson is old — he’ll be 25 this summer — and only really has one year of starting experience.
4. Walter Rouse (OT)
When: Round 6 (Pick 177)
College: Oklahoma
Size: 6’6″ | 320 lbs
Age: 23
The Good: Rouse is an effective run-blocker with good balance, awareness, and an impressive anchor. He’ll fold into Minensota’s OT depth.
The Bad: Rouse isn’t terribly athletic and not necessarily renowned for pass protection.
5. Will Reichard (K)
When: Round 6 (Pick 203)
College: Alabama
Size: 6’1″ | 195 lbs
Age: 23
The Good: Reichard has the volume and the leg — he’s the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer. He can drill it from distance and is rather consistent.
The Bad: In an analytics-driven NFL, drafting a kicker is taboo. The smarties claim it’s a wasted draft pick. Only three teams took the plunge in drafting kickers this year.
6. Michael Jurgens (C)
When: Round 7 (Pick 230)
College: Wake Forest
Size: 6’4″ | 310 lbs
Age: 24
The Good: Jurgens is a center known for run-blocking — does that sound familiar? — and will take time to develop on the purple team’s roster.
The Bad: He’s undersized a bit and isn’t overly powerful.
7. Levi Drake Rodriguez (DT)
When: Round 7 (Pick 232)
College: Texas A&M-Commerce City
Size: 6’4″ | 290 lbs
Age: n/a
The Good: High energy.
The Bad: Undersized and probably could’ve been signed as an undrafted free agent.
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, Basset Hounds, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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