Roger Goodell
The Minnesota Vikings own nine picks heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has a few more swings at the plate this year than last.
Minnesota needs a quarterback after Kirk Cousins departed five weeks ago, and most expect Adofo-Mensah to trade up in the draft for a Top 4 prospect.
So, here’s the best stab at a predictive mock draft for the 2024 Vikings, with picks chosen by VikingsTerritory writers. One trade was made with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Trade: The Vikings send the 11th and 23rd picks to the Los Angeles Chargers for the 5th overall pick.
Pick Maker: Josh Frey
Pick Number = 5th
College = Michigan
J.J. McCarthy is the mock-draft choice here in mid-April, as most Vikings fans believe the next quarterback will be him or Drake Maye. They’re probably not wrong.
McCarthy can watch and learn for a year behind Sam Darnold, and by 2025, the McCarthy era in Minneapolis can be fully underway.
Pick Maker: Janik Eckardt
Pick Number = 108
College = Oregon
Aaron Jones reduced the Vikings’ urgency for a running back fix, but he’s only scheduled to be in town for a year. He’ll also turn 30 in December. So, let’s go Irving here for long-term RB depth.
VT’s Ted Schwerzler wrote about Irving two months ago, “Bucky Irving spent his freshman season with the Minnesota Gophers and transferred to Oregon with his eyes set on keeping a starting role. His impressive 2021 turned into an even better 2022, and last season, he put up a strong 6.3 yards per carry while racking up 1,180 yards in just 14 games. He found the end zone 11 times on the ground and contributed in the passing game as well.”
Pick Maker: Cole Smith
Pick Number = 129th
College = Clemson
The Vikings signed no big-name defensive tackles during free agency, even though 5-10 were available on the open market. Adofo-Mensah rolls with Davis here, hoping to find a mid-round gem.
Pick Maker: Ali Siddiqui
Pick Number = 157th
College = Louisville
Thrash is a mid-to-late-round darling among fantasy football heads. He fits the “sleeper” role quite well. He’s not extraordinarily fast, but Thrash is a terrific route runner and contested catch guy.
Had the Vikings signed a player like Tyler Boyd or Hunter Renfrow this offseason, perhaps this pick would be different, but let’s lock in Thrash as a long-term WR3 candidate.
Pick Maker: Wes Johnson
Pick Number = 167th
College = Wisconsin
Garrett Bradbury’s final season with the Vikings is scheduled for 2024, and Bortolini is the type of prospect who can eye a starter’s job in 2025 with an impressive behind-the-scenes rookie campaign.
Pick Maker: Ted Schwerzler
Pick Number = 177th
College = UCLA
Minnesota employs Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jihad Ward, Patrick Jones II, and Andre Carter II. They could use another body or two for the summer.
Pick Maker: Dustin Baker
Pick Number = 230th
College = Texas
For depth, Minnesota needs a couple more linebackers, and it didn’t draft any during the 2023 NFL Draft. Teams rarely ignore the spot for too long in the draft, especially because of the value in later rounds.
Ford has decent quickness and is rangy. He just needs refinement and could be a good backup linebacker.
Pick Maker: Adam New
Pick Number = 232nd
College = Texas A&M
New wrote about Jackson one week ago, “Despite being the heaviest man on this list (330 lbs), McKinnley Jackson succeeds by being a slippery, gap-penetrating defensive lineman. His game is about speed, gaining quick penetration from a fast first step. His size means he can take on nose tackle duties as well as play three-technique. A role as the ‘big guy’ on obvious passing downs would be a suitable role early in his career. The big Asterix against Jackson is his short arms, which caused inconsistency in his game at the college level, and he will do the same in the pro ranks.”
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.