ESPN Mocks UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson to Vikings in Fourth Round
The possibility of the Vikings selecting a quarterback early in next month's NFL draft — perhaps someone like Kentucky's Will Levis or Tennessee's Hendon Hooker — has been discussed more and more in recent weeks, in light of the news that Kirk Cousins isn't expected to be extended beyond this season. Still, the Vikings would likely have to give up significant assets in a trade up if they want Levis, and Hooker is very risky as an early pick for several reasons.
The more likely outcome is that the Vikings take a cornerback, wide receiver, or some other non-QB position group with their first pick, whether that's at No. 23 overall or after trading back. But that doesn't mean they can't draft a quarterback this year. They could do what they did two years ago when they drafted Kellen Mond in the third round and take a quarterback somewhere in the middle rounds. There's a strong chance it would pan out similar to the Mond experiment, but there's also a chance it wouldn't.
In a recent seven-round mock draft from ESPN's Jordan Reid, one Vikings pick jumped out at me: UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the fourth round, 119th overall. Reid chose it as his favorite prospect-team fit in the fourth round of his mock.
Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his contract, and it's clear the Vikings want to keep their quarterback options open. Thompson-Robinson would provide them with a cheap backup who could be groomed as an eventual successor for Cousins. Thompson-Robinson is viewed as a notch below the top five quarterbacks in this class, but his stock has risen after an impressive pre-draft process.
This year's quarterback class has a clear top four in C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, and Levis, all of whom could go in the top seven picks. Then there's Hooker. After that, Thompson-Robinson may have as much upside as anyone in the next tier of quarterbacks, which includes the likes of Tanner McKee, Jake Haener, Aidan O'Connell, Jaren Hall, Clayton Tune, and Stetson Bennett.
Thompson-Robinson is an elite athlete for the quarterback position. He ran a 4.56 40 at the combine with a remarkable 1.56 10-yard split, and also broad jumped more than ten feet. He's not the biggest guy at 6'1.5", 203 pounds, but he's a quick, explosive dual threat.
Thompson-Robinson turns 24 in November, having spent five years at UCLA. He played in 49 games across those five years, recording over 10,000 passing yards, 88 passing touchdowns to 36 interceptions, and over 1,800 rushing yards with 28 more TDs on the ground. Last season, Thompson-Robinson's fifth, was his most productive across the board. He threw for 3,169 yards (69.6 completion percentage) and 27 touchdowns to 10 INTs, also running for 645 yards and 12 touchdowns.
As a passer, Thompson-Robinson has a strong arm to all areas of the field but can be inconsistent with his accuracy and decision-making. He also has a tendency to over-rely on his athleticism by leaving the pocket early to scramble. The flashes of arm talent are there, so he has a high ceiling as a passer if he can become more consistent. And as a runner, he's extremely dynamic. How often do you see quarterbacks hurdle defenders?
Thompson-Robinson needs plenty of continued development as a passer, but his dual threat ability will likely get him selected somewhere in the middle rounds. The Vikings could take him and see what he becomes over a rookie season where he'd have no pressure to play as the third QB behind Cousins and Nick Mullens. In the best-case scenario, he'd show enough to potentially take over for Cousins in 2024 and become a Jalen Hurts-type dual threat.
Might be worth a shot.
Here are all of the Vikings picks in Reid's mock:
- Round 1, Pick 23: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
- Round 3, Pick 87: Owen Pappoe, LB, Arkansas
- Round 4, Pick 119: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA
- Round 5, Pick 158: Jalen Redmond, DT, Oklahoma
- Round 6, Pick 211: Kei'Trel Clark, CB, Louisville
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