The Minnesota Vikings have acquired a second first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, essentially ensuring that they’re gearing up to trade up for a quarterback. What are the best, most realistic QB options for Kevin O’Connell in the 2024 NFL Draft?
QB Options for the Minnesota Vikings in the 2024 NFL Draft
It was widely assumed that the Vikings’ quarterback in 2024 would be different. Then, Kirk Cousins all but confirmed those suspicions by signing with the Atlanta Falcons in the first wave of free agency.
Initially, with just the 11th overall pick, the Vikings weren’t in great position to either get a QB or trade up for one. But on Friday morning, the Vikings traded with the Houston Texans, acquiring No. 23 overall in exchange for No. 42, a 2025 second-rounder, and a Day 3 pick swap.
What was once the league’s best-kept secret is no longer a secret at all. The Vikings want a quarterback and are going to be aggressive to get one. The clip is loaded, and it’s on the table for all to see. But which QB does Minnesota have in its sights?
Drake Maye, North Carolina
Even after acquiring pick 23, the Vikings aren’t entirely in control of their situation. North Carolina’s Drake Maye is the dream pick for Minnesota in another trade-up — both in terms of value and scheme fit — but his fate isn’t up to the Vikings.
Where Maye goes, and whether or not he’s available, depends on how other teams feel about him. By my personal grades, Maye and Caleb Williams should be the first two picks in some order. But each team’s opinion of the top quarterbacks will vary.
There’s an avenue where the Vikings can use their first-round capital in 2024 and 2025 to entice either Washington or New England to move down the board. New England is the more likely suitor, as Washington has better positioning and has been more aggressive in free agency.
MORE: Full List of Minnesota Vikings 2024 Draft Picks
The most likely path to a trade-up for Minnesota is if New England is left with their favorite QB prospect off the board at No. 3 overall. If that favorite QB is Jayden Daniels, Minnesota could make a move for Maye.
A move up may be costly, but the Vikings are actively making moves to prepare for that cost. Josh McCown — Minnesota’s QBs coach who coached Maye in high school — has a unique perspective on the Tar Heels’ passer. And on film, there’s a strong case to make that Maye is worth the risk.
Maye is a prototypical QB with exceptional functional athleticism and elite composite arm talent, and he brings high-level flashes of pocket feel and anticipation. He can work off-platform and create, but he also has the talent, poise, and leverage IQ to dissect defenses from within the pocket.
As a pure talent, Maye isn’t dissimilar to Packers star Jordan Love, and he wouldn’t need to sit for multiple seasons like Love did.
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
J.J. McCarthy is the next most likely trade-up option for Minnesota. The positive trade-off with McCarthy is that the Vikings might not have to give up quite as much for him. They may be able to trade up to No. 4 or 5 for McCarthy, as opposed to No. 2 or 3.
The negative trade-off with McCarthy is that he’s a tier below Williams and Maye as a prospect, and is less of a guarantee. On the operational side, he’s still growing, and while he’s very talented, Maye and Williams have two of the best arms in the class.
Nevertheless, McCarthy is a plus athlete with a loose and whip-like release, and he’s a fearless passer throwing over the middle of the field. And one of the biggest selling points for him is ultimately his age: He’s still just 21 years old.
With McCarthy, Minnesota would be able to get in on the ground floor of his development, and Sam Darnold could be a very good bridge QB in the immediate timeline.
Jayden Daniels, LSU
I see Daniels as a less realistic match with the Vikings, for two reasons:
- Most scenarios that leave Maye available also dictate that Daniels is one of the first two picks. If Maye is an option, Daniels isn’t.
- For a regime that’s investing in their first and most defining franchise QB selection, McCarthy is younger than Daniels, and a better scheme fit.
That said, it’s impossible to ignore the kind of talent that Daniels brings. The 2023 Heisman winner, who eclipsed 50 total touchdowns as a redshirt senior, has electric running ability and crisp accuracy in the deep third.
Caleb Williams, USC
We can mention Williams briefly, as there’s maybe a one-in-a-million scenario where the Vikings wind up with him. But that would require both the Bears and Commanders to either pass on him or engage in a trade-down with Minnesota.
Right now, Williams is the favorite to go No. 1 overall to Chicago. If he doesn’t, it’s hard to fathom Washington passing him up at No. 2. Maye is closely graded to Williams as a prospect for me, but that outcome feels more likely for him than Williams.
It’s impossible to say that, without a doubt, Williams won’t be an option. Interviews and character add a new layer of variance to QB evaluations. But even with his at times polarizing persona, Williams feels highly regarded as a QB prospect.
Michael Penix Jr., Washington
As mentioned above, it’s obvious that the Vikings acquired the 23rd pick to help fuel a trade-up for a QB from 11th overall. So odds are, Michael Penix Jr. isn’t even on their mind. They’re going for one of the top quarterbacks, but we can at least address Penix’s fit.
KEEP READING: Top Quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft
If, for some reason, the Vikings end up staying put with their current capital, Penix is a sleeper who could be worth a look late in Round 1. He’d be an excellent fit for Kevin O’Connell’s system with his processing ability, drive velocity, and gunslinger mentality.
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