Vikings Will Closely Inspect 1 QB Prospect
Janik Eckardt
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The first round of the 2024 NFL draft will arrive on April 25, a consequential day for the Minnesota Vikings. Kirk Cousins, the team’s signal-caller in the last six seasons, has moved on to the Atlanta Falcons, and Sam Darnold is currently the QB1 on the depth chart. The Vikings, however, are armed to acquire the next franchise passer that day.
Vikings Will Closely Inspect 1 QB Prospect
After trading a pair of second-round selections for the 23rd overall pick previously held by the Houston Texans, the overwhelming expectation is that GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is planning to package that pick with his 11th overall slot to move into the top-five in the draft and ultimately select the new top prospect of the organization.
Albert Breer detailed Cousins’ decision to turn down Minnesota and leave in free agency in the latest article he published on SI.com. Also included is a nugget about Michigan’s passer J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings will get a great look at the national champion in the upcoming weeks.
Minnesota also moved forward at quarterback, first on a one-year, $10 million deal with Darnold, then on a trade with the Houston Texans (talks on it started before free agency) that’d give the Vikings a second first-round pick, arming them for a potential trade up. They also had plans in motion for quarterbacks coaches Josh McCown and Grant Udinski to be in Ann Arbor for Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy’s pro day this Friday. Minnesota also arranged a private workout on campus with McCarthy for next week, with O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah set to make that trip.
Albert Breer
The QB coaches, Josh McCown and Grant Udinsky, will get the first glimpse of McCarthy at Michigan’s pro day, followed by a private workout with Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell, the two guys in charge.
Caleb Williams out of USC, Jayden Daniels out of LSU, and North Carolina’s Drake Maye are viewed as the top three picks and quarterback prospects in the upcoming draft, but McCarthy is gaining some steam in the draft world because of rising praise from draft pundits and surfacing reports about teams favoring the player over some of the other three guys.
McCarthy is a polarizing prospect because his statistics at Michigan don’t match the numbers of his competitors, as he was featured in a run-heavy offensive system on a loaded Wolverines squad. However, he is a poised passer who checks all the boxes regarding size, arm, and athleticism.
The Vikings would be a great spot for McCarthy as they employ the requisite weapons, the offensive line, and the coaching staff that can help a QB develop into the best version of himself. He would also not be forced to start early in his career as Minnesota employs Sam Darnold, a solid bridge option with some upside.
To acquire McCarthy, the Vikings would have to trade up to spots four or five. The New York Giants could also have an eye on the prospect, as they hold the sixth overall pick. That deal would cost both 2024 first-rounders and perhaps some sweetener in the form of a mid-round pick in 2025.
McCarthy to Minnesota is much more than a theory at this point. If the Vikings like what they see from him during their workout, he could be the guy leading the franchise into the next era.
There’s a Vikings Conspiracy Theory
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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