Vikings Make Two First-Round Trades in ESPN's Latest Seven-Round Mock

The Vikings move up a bit and then move back a bit in this mock from Jordan Reid.

Happy draft week, everyone. In a new seven-round mock from ESPN's Jordan Reid, the Vikings end up with the same two players I picked for them in our SI/Fan Nation mock last week: Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy and Illinois DT Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton. But the way Reid got there is interesting and feels like an entirely realistic ballpark outcome. He had the Vikings make two trades in the first round — one to move up slightly for McCarthy, followed by one to move back slightly for Newton.

Let's take a look at the trades and picks Reid made for Minnesota.

Trade 1 (with Falcons)

Vikings get No. 8, Falcons get Nos. 11, 108, and 129

"Minnesota doesn't have to move into the top five for a QB here, based on how the board is falling, but it might not want to risk waiting any longer. I've heard Atlanta is interested in moving back from No. 8, so this fits from both sides."

Round 1, Pick 8: Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy

"McCarthy is a great fit with the Vikings considering his skill set -- he's accurate and mobile -- and the infrastructure in place in Minnesota. The Vikings have Sam Darnold, so there's no pressure to start a rookie QB in Week 1. McCarthy's 88.2 QBR was third in the nation last season, and he has a ton of upside -- he just might need some time to adjust to the pro game."

If the Vikings are willing to roll the dice by waiting a bit to pounce on moving up for a quarterback, this outcome would be pretty ideal. In Reid's mock, the Patriots stay put and take Drake Maye at No. 3, and the next four picks are three wide receivers and an offensive tackle. The Giants at 6 are a threat to take McCarthy, but in this scenario, they go with Malik Nabers instead. So the Vikings are able to send two fourth-round picks to Atlanta to go up three spots and ensure that they get McCarthy before a team like the Broncos or Raiders can jump up and grab him. Most importantly, that means holding onto the No. 23 pick in this year's draft. He may not have Maye's ceiling, but McCarthy feels like an excellent fit for Kevin O'Connell's offense.

Trade 2 (with Cardinals)

Cardinals get No. 23, Vikings get Nos. 27 and 90

"We've seen a lot of projections for the Vikings to use pick Nos. 11 and 23 to help move up to No. 4 for a QB. But in this mock draft, Minnesota instead got its passer at No. 8, meaning the Vikings have some options now with their second first-round selection. Arizona has 11 picks and a bunch of needs, so moving up to check one box makes sense."

Round 1, Pick 27: Illinois DT Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton

"Minnesota doesn't have a true penetrator in the middle of its defense, but that's exactly what Newton can be for this team. He was an unblockable force at Illinois, posting 7.5 sacks last season. Few defensive linemen in this class have his level of versatility, and his endurance is super impressive — his 715 snaps were seventh most among all FBS defensive linemen last season."

I really like this pick, and also the process of moving back a few spots to get a late third-rounder after sending the two fourths to go up for McCarthy. Newton, the consensus DT2 in this class behind Byron Murphy II from Texas, put all kinds of dominance on tape over the past couple years. He's the kind of explosive, violent interior pass rusher that Brian Flores' defense could really use. These two picks would be an A+ first round for the Vikings.

Reid's other picks for the Vikings

• Round 3, Pick 90: Brandon Coleman, G, TCU

• Round 5, Pick 157: Jarrian Jones, CB, Florida State

• Round 5, Pick 167: Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona

• Round 6, Pick 177: Xavier Thomas, EDGE, Clemson

• Round 7, Pick 230: Bub Means, WR Pittsburgh

• Round 7, Pick 232: Charles Turner III, C, LSU

This is a solid haul. Coleman played both left tackle and left guard for TCU, so he could come in and compete with Blake Brandel for the Vikings' starting job at LG as a rookie. Jones has inside-outside versatility and is coming off a big fifth season (3 INT, 5 TFL). Cowing is a 5'8" slot receiver with 4.38 speed who had over 3,200 yards and 27 touchdowns over the past three seasons. Thomas was at Clemson for six years, so he might be able to contribute as a rotational pass rusher right away. Each of those four picks addresses needs for the Vikings. Means and Turner are seventh-round dart throws.

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