Reacting to The Athletic's Vikings Picks in Seven-Round Mock Draft

How would you feel about this haul for Minnesota?

Over at The Athletic, prodigious draft analyst Dane Brugler has released a mock draft complete with all seven rounds and 257 selections. Let's take a look at his picks for the Vikings, and I'll give some brief thoughts on each one.

Round 1, Pick 4: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

Brugler has the Vikings trading pick 11, pick 23, and a 2025 third-rounder to the Cardinals to move up to 4 and get McCarthy. That's a deal that makes all kinds of sense for the Vikings, who need to secure their quarterback of the future. McCarthy would be a great fit in Minnesota, where he wouldn't have to start right away. The question is probably whether or not Arizona would do this deal — or if they'd hold out for even more. In Brugler's scenario, the Cardinals go down to 11 and then come back up to 5 to take Marvin Harrison Jr. after trading with the Chargers. That feels very realistic.

Round 4, Pick 108: DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke

If they trade up for McCarthy, the Vikings won't make a single pick on Day 2 unless they trade up. But they'll be in for a busy Day 3, which starts here with a solid defensive tackle who had 11 sacks, 22 total TFL, 11 passes defended, and seven forced fumbles over the past three seasons. Carter is an experienced, powerful player who could immediately become a factor in the Vikings' defensive tackle rotation. This pick would address one of Minnesota's biggest needs.

Round 4, Pick 129: Mason McCormick, G, South Dakota State

Another big need for the Vikings is at left guard, where McCormick would be a potential Week 1 starter if he could beat out Blake Brandel (assuming Dalton Risner doesn't return). He's a sixth-year senior who started 57 games in his career at FCS South Dakota State. McCormick is strong, smart, and athletic, but he does need to continue developing more consistency with a huge jump in competition ahead of him.

Round 5, Pick 157: Qwan’tez Stiggers, CB, CFL

Stiggers is a prospect with a unique backstory. He never played college football for personal/family reasons, but he resurrected his career in an indoor 7-on-7 semi-pro league before joining the Canadian Football League last year and becoming its top rookie. Stiggers wasn't invited to the combine, but he did well at the East/West Shrine Bowl and has real upside in the NFL. The Vikings absolutely need to take a corner at some point in this draft, and Stiggers — who they hosted on an official visit — would be a good fit.

Round 5, Pick 167: Eric Watts, Edge, UConn

Watts makes sense here as a raw edge rusher with big-time physical tools. He had 22.5 tackles for loss over the past three seasons and has an enticing ceiling with some continued development. That's what you're looking for on Day 3. Watts could play on special teams for the Vikings and join Andre Carter II as the developmental OLB options behind Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Pat Jones II.

Round 6, Pick 177: Ainias Smith, WR, Texas A&M

After losing K.J. Osborn in free agency, it'll make sense if the Vikings draft a wide receiver at some point on Day 3 this year. Smith is a 5'9" receiver who has some twitchiness and competitive toughness to his game. He fits in the Brandon Powell mold and could also compete with Powell to be the Vikings' punt returner as a rookie.

Round 7, Pick 230: Tyrice Knight, LB, UTEP

Knight stuffed the stat sheet last year with 140 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, and seven passes defended. He's a talented run defender who could play on special teams for the Vikings and potentially earn some snaps on defense down the road.

Round 7, Pick 232: Dylan McMahon, C, NC State

McMahon is an athletic interior lineman who has played center and both guard spots. He could be a backup option for the Vikings up front.

Summary

Overall, I think this would be an excellent seven-round haul for the Vikings. Moving up to get McCarthy while holding onto next year's first-rounder is a win by itself, as he has a good chance to thrive in Kevin O'Connell's offense. I also liked most of the Day 3 picks here, especially Carter and Stiggers.

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