Vikings Trade Up For Anthony Richardson in New NFL.com Mock Draft
Another day, another mock draft with an interesting way for the Vikings to find their quarterback of the future.
In a new seven-round mock from NFL.com's Chad Reuter, the Vikings trade up to the 10th overall pick (held by the Eagles) to stop the fall of Florida QB Anthony Richardson, giving them a dual-threat signal caller with generational physical tools. The price is affordable, too: Just their third-round pick and their 2024 first.
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has not been shy about trading draft picks since taking on the job last year. Richardson's potential as a dual-threat playmaker validates the hefty price Minnesota pays to jump up the board: the 23rd overall pick, a 2023 third-rounder (No. 87) and a 2024 first-rounder. (The Vikings also probably trade down in the fourth round to regain a selection.)
Why was Richardson available at 10 in the first place? In Reuter's mock, the Panthers took Bryce Young first overall and the Texans took Will Levis with the second pick. The second half of that sentence may be shocking to some, but there's been recent buzz that the NFL is higher on Levis than people may think. Then, at 4, the Colts took C.J. Stroud, leaving Richardson as the odd man out in the quartet of top QBs. The Seahawks, Lions, and Raiders all passed on Richardson to take defensive players (Tyree Wilson, Devon Witherspoon, and Christian Gonzalez, respectively). At 8, the Falcons took Bijan Robinson. At 9, the Bears went with Jalen Carter.
So, in order to jump ahead of the Titans at 11, the Vikings worked out a deal with the Eagles to move up 13 spots and stop Richardson's fall.
If things were to unfold like this next Thursday night, the Vikings would have to strongly consider moving up to get Richardson. The Florida product is a truly ridiculous athlete for the quarterback position, posting a perfect 10.0 relative athletic score (albeit without bench press or agility testing data). He's big, he's fast, he's explosive, and he has a cannon of a right arm.
Realistically, Richardson probably goes within the top three picks or at least the top six, but who knows? There's a chance he could fall due to his weak passing production in college (54.7 completion percentage, 24 to 15 TD/INT ratio). If that happens, it could be a perfect opportunity for the Vikings to trade up and take a big swing on a player who has a chance to be the next Cam Newton or Josh Allen.
Minnesota would be a great landing spot for any rookie quarterback, especially a raw, ultra-talented one like Richardson. He could sit for a year behind Kirk Cousins, develop under Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings' coaching staff, and be ready to rock as the starter in 2024, surrounded on offense by players like Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw, and T.J. Hockenson.
If Richardson's accuracy and decision-making become more consistent, he has obvious superstar potential. But even if things are up and down early on in his career, his dynamic rushing ability gives him a high floor as a viable starting quarterback in the NFL.
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