NFL.com’s Latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft Has Vikings Landing a QB in the Best Possible Way
Josh Frey
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A large consensus of NFL fans and media believe that the Minnesota Vikings will select a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Ever since Minnesota traded to acquire the 23rd overall pick from the Houston Texans, many have assumed that the Vikings will acquire this quarterback via a trade up the board. However, NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks said “not so fast” in his latest 2024 NFL mock draft.
Latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft Sends Vikings Their QB at No. 11
Here is a look at how the first 10 picks in Brooks’ mock draft end up landing:
- Chicago Bears select QB Caleb Williams
- Washington Commanders select QB Jayden Daniels
- New England Patriots select QB J.J. McCarthy
- Arizona Cardinals select WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
- Los Angeles Chargers select OT Joe Alt
- New York Giants select WR Malik Nabers
- Tennessee Titans select OT Olu Fashanu
- Atlanta Falcons select EDGE Dallas Turner
- Chicago Bears select WR Rome Odunze
- New York Jets select TE Brock Bowers
Notice anybody that seems to be missing here? If you said QB Drake Maye and are hoping that he somehow fell all the way to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 11, you’d be correct in that assertion. Brooks suggests that the Vikings would not need to trade up the board in order to land their QB of the future.
Here is how Brooks defends the selection: “Kevin O’Connell and Co. might have to move up the board to land a franchise quarterback, and they have two first-round picks to help them maneuver. Maye, an athletic playmaker with A-plus arm talent and mobility, is a perfect fit for the Vikings’ offense.”
However, by virtue of a lack of a trade up the board, the Vikings aren’t done in the first round. They also still hold No. 23, and with that pick, they opt to solidify their secondary with the selection of a versatile defensive back Cooper DeJean.
Brooks wrote the following of the selection: “Adding a defensive back with a high football IQ and positional flexibility would give defensive coordinator Brian Flores another weapon to feature in his aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme.”
DeJean is an outstanding athlete with an ability to blanket receivers downfield. He tracks the ball well in the air and uses his length to break up passes. He has a freakish ability to accelerate in his pursuit of opposing receivers, and his seven interceptions over the past two seasons showed he can make plays on the ball.
Not only is he a fantastic defensive prospect, but DeJean is an outstanding punt returner as well, giving him a lane to garner immediate snaps with the special teams as well. He had a punt return TD in 2023 and averaged a touch over 13 yards per return over his career.
This feels like a very unlikely scenario for the Vikings here in late March, but a lot can change before the 2024 NFL Draft officially begins. If Minnesota can land a quarterback without having to trade away their first-round picks and find help for their defense, it will be a fantastic start to the draft for the Vikings.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.