Vikings Linked to Major QB Reset in 2027
The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and that just means the mock draft community can pivot to 2027. While doing so, one of the most accurate mock drafters in the industry has already connected South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers to the Minnesota Vikings.
That projection would mean something went sideways with the current plan.
Indeed, we’re 51 weeks away from the event, but Sellers is evidently already a draft darling for the purple team.
Sellers Would Signal a Total Quarterback Recalibration
Get to know Sellers — just in case.
Brendan Donahue: Sellers to MIN in 2027
Donahue for Sharp Football Analysis got the ball rolling on the 2027 mock draft process this week, with the Vikings owning the 14th pick.
On Sellers to the Vikings, he explained, “The 2026 season feels like a make-or-break year for both the quarterbacks currently on the Vikings roster. I don’t think head coach Kevin O’Connell will hesitate to move on from either or both if they miss the playoffs again in 2026 and replace them with someone who seems to be more of his prototype at the position.”
“Many scouts believe Sellers has as much upside as any quarterback at the college level if he can just put it all together.”
It’s worth noting that Sellers was the fifth quarterback off the board in Donahue’s estimation. Arch Manning to the Arizona Cardinals headline his mock.
The Scouting Report
Norris is 6’3″ and 240 pounds — with 4.55 speed. Yes, he’s huge and fast. His arm strength is fantastic, deep-ball accuracy is on point, the size is obviously to die for, and he’s one of the best scramblers in college football. On the flip side, he takes too many sacks, his ball security is suspect, and his passing accuracy dipped in 2025.
NFL Draft Buzz on Sellers: “The deep-ball ability is real. He can put the ball 55 yards downfield with accuracy, and his size and rushing ability give an offensive coordinator another dimension to work with in the run game and on designed movement plays. When things are clicking, he looks like a quarterback who can win from the pocket and hurt you with his legs when the structure breaks down. The concern is how often he creates his own problems.”
“The sack totals are not all on the offensive line. Sellers holds the ball, gets stuck staring down his primary target, and too often turns what should be a throwaway into a negative play. The 2025 season, even accounting for a bad supporting cast and a scheme that didn’t fit, showed a quarterback who hadn’t yet figured out how to lift the offense around him when things weren’t going well.”
It’s worth noting that quarterbacks’ draft stock can swing wildly in a year. By next April, Sellers could project as the first overall pick — or he could be a 3rd-Rounder. Stay tuned.
NDB added, “That matters at the next level. The right landing spot is a team willing to invest time in his development, ideally one with a strong offensive line and a play-caller who will use his athleticism while building structure around his reads. He fits best in a system that incorporates RPOs and bootleg concepts to simplify his progressions early on.”
“The ceiling is a productive dual-threat starter. The floor, without continued growth in processing speed and pocket discipline, is a backup whose athleticism keeps him on a roster but never translates to consistent quarterback play.”
Would Imply That Murray and McCarthy Are No Good
The sad implication about Donahue’s mock is the fate of the 2026 Vikings. If they pick 14th next year, it will mean they missed the postseason, probably need a new head coach, and are in the market for a full quarterback facelift.
That isn’t the worst thing ever, but life will just be much easier if Kyler Murray unlocks Kevin O’Connell’s offense or if J.J. McCarthy finds his way into the starting lineup and never looks back. Fans would assuredly get excited about Sellers or another rookie quarterback next April, but the fact remains that a productive Murray or McCarthy means a full-scale upheaval isn’t needed.
Drafting Sellers would likely point to Murray or McCarthy nowhere near the Vikings’ 2027 roster.
A Long Way to Go until April 2027
The 2027 draftboard will shift seismically between now and April 2027. The Vikings have a full season in their sights — one with pretty intense stakes if O’Connell wants to remain the head coach for years to come. Murray hasn’t taken a single snap as a Viking yet. And McCarthy, at age 23, hasn’t gotten a crack at redemption.
Whether Minnesota will need a quarterback in 2027 remains to be seen, but what is clear is that 17 regular season games will play out before then. If the Vikings reach the playoffs and win a game, two, three, or four, picking another rookie quarterback will be moot.
But just in case, keep an eye on Sellers. He’ll be all the rage in about eight months when the 2027 draft buildup formally begins.
Sellers will turn 21 this summer.
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