Monday’s free-agency news could affect where J.J. McCarthy begins his NFL career.
The Minnesota Vikings lost their longtime starting quarterback when Kirk Cousins signed a four-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. That makes them a sensible choice to seek a replacement in this year’s draft, but it’s highly unlikely they’ll snag Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels with the No. 11 pick.
Following Cousins’ departure, the Vikings are a +150 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook to select McCarthy next month. They were already favored, but their odds shortened from +300.
The New York Giants and Denver Broncos trail Minnesota at +350 each, followed by the New England Patriots (+550). Atlanta is then listed at +700 odds to snag the national champion to back up Cousins.
McCarthy completed 72.3 percent of his passes with 9.0 yards per attempt for the undefeated Michigan Wolverines, but he never needed to carry a run-heavy offense. He completed 10 of just 18 passes for 140 yards in a 34-13 victory over Washington in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
However, McCarthy has nevertheless emerged as a likely first-round pick. The 21-year-old could be the top target for teams unable to land Williams, Maye, or Daniels with a top-five choice.
That makes Minnesota a sensible landing spot, especially since the Falcons are now less likely to use the No. 8 pick on McCarthy. Yet the Giants could spend the No. 6 selection on a signal-caller, and the Broncos need a new quarterback one spot behind the Vikings.
The Athletic’s Diante Lee even predicted the Vikings would trade up to No. 6 to draft McCarthy on April 25.