The Minnesota Vikings head into the 2024 NFL Draft with a glaring need at the quarterback spot. They lost former starting quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. Quarterbacks Jaren Hall and Joshua Dobbs failed to show they could be the franchise’s future when given the chance last year after Cousins’ Achilles injury. That leaves the NFL Draft.
Minnesota currently has the 11th and 23rd picks, but most assume they plan on packaging those picks to move up in the draft for a quarterback—including the folks over at PFF. In their latest mock draft, the Vikings are doing just that and taking former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Daniels’ rushing ability and fundamentals give him a high floor as a player who can put a ton of stress on a defense. His arm talent is good enough to give him a decently high ceiling and makes him a worthy first-round bet to make.
In the mock, the Vikings trade up to the third spot to take Daniels, trading with the New England Patriots. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the trade is that Minnesota isn’t giving up any additional assets in the move. Simply packaging 11 and 23 was enough here.
If that scenario played out in two weeks, it would be a win for the Vikings on a number of levels. They would be able to secure their quarterback of the future. They would be landing a prospect who brings something to the table—rushing ability—that the other prospects aren’t necessarily known for. But, perhaps most importantly, they aren’t mortgaging the future to do it.
The biggest drawback to trading up for a quarterback is typically the price. It normally costs an exorbitant amount to move up and grab a quarterback. If Minnesota can get away with only giving up their two firsts this year and not having to part with any future picks, that would be a major win, provided they get the pick right.