ESPN’s Jordan Reid Has Vikings Fill Both of Their Major Needs in 2024 NFL Mock Draft
Josh Frey
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When the 2024 NFL Draft arrives later this week, there are two needs that are pretty much consensus for the Minnesota Vikings.
Those needs fall at the quarterback and defensive tackle positions. If the regular season were to start today, Minnesota would be starting Sam Darnold at quarterback with Jaren Hall and Nick Mullens as the two options behind him. Meanwhile, the Vikings employ very little in terms of a pass rushing threat at the defensive tackle position.
Well, Jordan Reid of ESPN released his final mock draft of the spring, and he found a way for the Vikings to potentially fill both needs in the draft.
Jordan Reid Fills the Biggest Vikings Needs in Latest Mock
First and foremost, the Vikings landed QB J.J. McCarthy out of Michigan to fill their quarterback needs. Even better, Reid had the Vikings doing so without giving away massive amounts of draft capital, sending the Atlanta Falcons Nos. 11, 108, and 129 in exchange for No. 8.
“Minnesota doesn’t have to move into the top five for a QB here, based on how the board is falling, but it might not want to risk waiting any longer. I’ve heard Atlanta is interested in moving back from No. 8, so this fits from both sides,” Reid wrote. “McCarthy is a great fit with the Vikings considering his skill set — he’s accurate and mobile — and the infrastructure in place in Minnesota. The Vikings have Sam Darnold, so there’s no pressure to start a rookie QB in Week 1. McCarthy’s 88.2 QBR was third in the nation last season, and he has a ton of upside — he just might need some time to adjust to the pro game.”
This selection became possible because the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers decided to stick and pick rather than trade down. At No. 4, Arizona took WR Marvin Harrison Jr. while Los Angeles snatched OT Joe Alt at No. 5.
Because Minnesota didn’t have to move all the way into the top five, they were able to retain the 23rd overall pick in the draft. However, Reid doesn’t have them sticking and picking a player here. Instead, they swing a deal with the Cardinals to actually move back to No. 27 overall.
In the deal, the Vikings added the 90th overall pick as well, meaning they were able to get back into the second day of the draft. At No. 23, Arizona selected CB Nate Wiggins to solidify their secondary, and considering the Cardinals hold six selections in the top 90, they were able to justify moving up to snatch the Clemson cornerback.
Meanwhile, Reid has Minnesota selecting Illinois DT Johnny Newton in order to fill out their defensive line. “Minnesota doesn’t have a true penetrator in the middle of its defense, but that’s exactly what Newton can be for this team. He was an unblockable force at Illinois, posting 7.5 sacks last season. Few defensive linemen in this class have his level of versatility, and his endurance is super impressive — his 715 snaps were seventh most among all FBS defensive linemen last season,” Reid explains.
Pairing Newton with solid starters in Jonathan Bullard and Harrison Phillips would give the Vikings a very solid trio in the trenches with plenty of depth like Jaquelin Roy, Jerry Tillery, and Jonah Williams.
Overall, if the Vikings are somehow able to maintain two first-round selections and still land a quarterback that they feel good about, this draft will go down as a very successful one in Minnesota.
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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.