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The 2024 NFL Draft is just over three weeks away. With many fans excited to know which player their team is taking, uncertainty still remains. That is especially true, when considering the quarterback position. It is expected that at least three, maybe even four, quarterbacks wind up going in the top five. But obviously, the landing spots for those quarterbacks is still hard to pinpoint. Perhaps, the teams selecting a quarterback will move around the draft order. One team expected to do so for a new QB is the Minnesota Vikings.
After making a trade with the Houston Texans earlier this offseason, the Vikings currently have two picks in this year’s first round. Minnesota now owns picks 11 and 23 overall. As many pointed out when they made that trade, this gave the Vikings considerably more ammo for a potential trade up into the top five. Assuming they eventually pull the trigger on a trade to move up, which QB prospect the Vikings end up with will be fascinating.
While we will not predict which quarterback goes to Minnesota in that scenario, we will look into each of the top names and how they fit with the Vikings. Do any of these QB prospects stand out more than others for the Vikings, in that regard? Let’s kick it off.
Surrounding Pieces
The Minnesota Vikings may not be considered the best offense on paper. But compared to other teams looking to add a young quarterback, the Vikings sit in a favorable spot. Justin Jefferson is arguably the best wide receiver in the league. Meanwhile, Jordan Addison had a solid start to his career as a rookie this past year. He is a perfect complement as the WR2 to Jefferson. When healthy, TJ Hockenson is among the best of the tier two tight ends in the league, due to his ability to win vertically. And over time, Minnesota has become more trustworthy as an offensive line. All told, this situation is extremely enticing for any young quarterback that is coming into the NFL.
Favorable System In Place
Outside of the surrounding pieces on offense, the offensive system in Minnesota has proven to be favorable. With head coach Kevin O’Connell coming from the Sean McVay tree, quarterbacks have been able to thrive in a controlled environment. Kirk Cousins had one of his most dominant seasons in 2022, in terms of production. And even when he got hurt last year, the Vikings remained in it longer than they probably should have. This was all because of how controlled and poised O’Connell can make his quarterbacks feel. Look no further than a couple of spot starts from names like Joshua Dobbs and Nick Mullens this past season.
Sam Darnold was brought in as a bridge quarterback to let a likely young quarterback come in to develop. As a result, a rookie quarterback will not have to necessarily be thrust into the starting job right away. And as we have seen in other situations on different teams recently, playing young quarterbacks too early has led to failure. Minnesota has built up a well-designed plan within their favorable system.
How Each QB Prospect Could Fit With Vikings
We will now look into the traits of each QB and how that affects their fit with the Vikings. We are obviously assuming that Minnesota would not have the opportunity to select USC’s Caleb Williams. As a result, we will look into the four options that could end up being more likely for the Vikings in this spot.
Drake Maye
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Drake Maye has the liveliest arm of any of these four passers. But at the same time, that throwing ability comes off as effortless at times. He can take aggressive shots down the field. Sometimes, those throws are right where his receiver needs them to be. But as things stood with his college tape, that was not always consistent. Interestingly, Maye is not afraid to throw over the middle of the field, compared to the other QB prospects we will mention for the Vikings. His awareness, along with his underrated fiery attitude and toughness could also be items that stand out to someone like O’Connell and Minnesota.
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In terms of areas of improvement, Maye is not the cleanest in this class, when it comes to footwork. Part of this could be repetitive results that he does not realize he is doing. Though, there are moments where he takes too long to get to the top of his drop. Reaching the adequate depth in his dropbacks can also be a bit puzzling. Elsewhere, Maye will learn how to better feel pressure and maneuver in the pocket as his career grows.
Jayden Daniels
While the throwing ability of Maye is effortless, Jayden Daniels has some throws down the field that are feathery and light. This is actually a positive, as he is able to drop so many of his throws into a bucket or in tight windows. Compared to other quarterbacks in this year’s class, no one has the athleticism or the running ability of Daniels. There is a different kind of speed that he offers when taking off, forcing defenses to respect him at the line of scrimmage.
When viewing Daniels against Maye, for example, there are very little times in which Jayden throws to the middle of the field. He can also be a bit long in his setup and delivery as a passer. That is something that can be coached out of him in the NFL. However, recognizing speed and pressure is not currently a strong suit. When pressure gets in his lap, Daniels fails to keep his eyes up and down the field, possibly as bad as anyone in this QB class that the Vikings are viewing.
JJ McCarthy
JJ McCarthy came off as a bit surprising with some of his reps as a thrower. And those surprises were largely positive. One positive for McCarthy as a thrower, is the drive in which he can display on the football. Terms like accuracy and touch are thrown out there as gospel for incoming quarterback prospects. But mainly, teams are just wanting the passer to deliver efficiently and on time. McCarthy stood out more in that area than anticipated. On the flip side, McCarthy was able to show tremendous adjustments in the pocket and against pressure while at Michigan.
If there are any areas of improvement that stick out, McCarthy is not the greatest passer on the move. That may not mean anything in a QB system like the Vikings. However, if your team needs to come through on any extended plays, McCarthy had less success than others in this class. Over time, reading the entire field and working through progressions will be key in his development.
Michael Penix Jr.
Like Maye, there is a lot of Michael Penix Jr.‘s throwing ability that just looks easy at times. His simple flick of the wrist can lead to easy catches for his teammates, even in the tightest of areas. Beyond that, Penix Jr. has grown so much as a leader and can win off of toughness. This comes from suffering multiple injuries in his college career and having to change schools. Being through some adversity is not the worst thing in the world for a quarterback.
Obviously, the movement skills and adjustments against pressure are considerable low points for Penix Jr. You also have to wonder how Penix Jr. will handle defenses that take away the deep shots. He is not totally incapable of working underneath. But right now, Penix Jr.’s style is really intriguing for today’s NFL, compared to if he was someone entering the league 15 years ago.
Final Verdict
Of these four QB prospects, Maye and McCarthy would be the best fits for the Vikings. For my money, they have the ability to control the game both pre-snap and post-snap, while needing to make adjustments soundly, if necessary. Both Maye and McCarthy have the awareness that O’Connell has gravitated towards. There is also a sense of them being able to handle the entirety of throwing to all three levels more consistently, which is key for the Minnesota offense.
If the Vikings were to draft QB prospects like Daniels or Penix Jr., there is still a chance they find comfort in that system. Yet, the play style of these two is not as well-rounded, when looking at the passers Minnesota has relied on recently. If they were asked to carry out all of the necessary throws in this offense, the Vikings may lose their chance on taking that next step.
Be on the lookout for more FPC 2024 NFL Draft articles and analysis throughout the coming days. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.
– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.