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Vikings Wait to Take a Quarterback in Another NFL.com Mock Draft
Is this a realistic approach for the Vikings?
Another mock draft from NFL.com, this one from Rhett Lewis, has the Vikings waiting to draft a quarterback instead of trading up for one. Let's check it out.
"What if the Vikings didn't acquire the 23rd overall pick with the plan to package it with No. 11 for a bid at breaking into the top five for a QB?" Lewis asks in his intro paragraph. "Many of us assume that was the case, but what if the asking price to make a play for Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels is simply too high? What if Minnesota isn't enamored enough with J.J. McCarthy to surrender a trove of assets to move up the board for him? What if the Vikings are intrigued by one of the other passers in this class, say a guy like Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix, who could still be available later in Round 1?"
It's a fair question — and one that we've been discussing plenty in this space over the last couple weeks. The Vikings seem likely to trade up for a quarterback, but there's no guarantee of that happening due to the questions summarized by Lewis. We don't know how the Vikings view this quarterback class, and we don't know how much they're willing to pay to move up the board.
In this mock, quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels go 1-2-3. WRs, OTs, and Dallas Turner make up the next six picks. But then, one spot before the Vikings' pick at 11, the Broncos trade up from 12 to 10 to jump Minnesota for J.J. McCarthy. That would only happen in a scenario where the Vikings aren't fond of McCarthy. Because if they are, losing out on him like that would be devastating and unacceptable. They'd have to exceed the Broncos' offer to the Jets and move up one spot to make sure they get McCarthy instead of Denver.
Here's how the rest of the first round plays out for Minnesota.
Round 1, Pick 11: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
Lewis: "If you read the intro to this mock, then you understand the rationale here for Minnesota. I tend to side with Daniel Jeremiah’s assessment of J.J. McCarthy — that the former Wolverine has a grade closer to Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. than to the top three QBs. If the Vikings have a similar evaluation of the position group, perhaps they choose not to make a splash move into the top five, but rather let the draft come to them and take and the best corner in this year's class. Arnold is ready to handle the pressure of playing in Brian Flores' aggressive scheme."
So again, this is a situation where the Vikings don't love McCarthy, which would go against most of the buzz we've heard. If that is the case, Arnold is a solid pick here as a potential No. 1 corner for years to come. I might prefer Quinyon Mitchell or Byron Murphy II, but I understand the upside with Arnold's age, athleticism, and ball skills.
Round 1, Pick 18: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Lewis: "Concerned that the Rams might have an eye toward the future beyond Matthew Stafford, Minnesota jumps five spots to snag Nix, whose accuracy and operation within Oregon’s offense was impeccable over the last two seasons. He's the consummate competitor with the added appeal of immense collegiate experience (NCAA record 61 starts)."
So the Vikings go up from 23 to 18, jumping the Rams at 19, to ensure they get Nix. That would probably cost a future third-round pick to pull off. I understand that some evaluators are fond of Nix, but I'd personally rather stay put at 23 and take Michael Penix Jr. than give up the third-rounder to go get Nix. Then again, I'm not a professional evaluator by any means. All that matters here is whether or not the quarterback the Vikings select pans out.
I still think they end up with McCarthy, one way or another.
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