Report from Adam Schefter Suggests the Vikings Have a “Preference” for Their QB Target

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When the 2024 NFL Draft arrives, quarterbacks are expected to fly off the board very quickly.

With boatloads of talent at the position along with even more teams seemingly in need of a franchise QB, we could see as many as five or six quarterbacks get selected in the first round on Thursday, April 25th. The Minnesota Vikings certainly are a team looking for their next quarterback, and according to a recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN, they may be zeroing in on one QB target as their “preference” this spring.

Adam Schefter Reports the Vikings Have a QB “Preference”

Dec 10, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell reacts after the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Schefter went on SportsCenter earlier this week to lay out what he’s been hearing about the Vikings’ pursuit of a quarterback.

“It all depends on the team you talk to. It all depends on the team’s interest. If Minnesota were to find a way to get up to three, my sense is, and we don’t know fully, but my sense is that Drake Maye would be the preference,” Schefter said.

A little over a month ago, the idea of selecting Maye seemed laughable from a Vikings perspective. That all changed in mid-March when Kwesi Adofo-Mensah swung a trade with the Houston Texans to acquire the 23rd overall pick, thus giving the Vikings a very enticing trade package that includes two first-round picks in this spring’s draft.

QB target
Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) runs the ball against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Maye appears to have one of the highest ceilings of any QB prospect in this draft given his ideal NFL size, arm strength, and some elite athletic ability in the pocket. As a result, he would be an excellent choice to lead Kevin O’Connell’s offense into the future.

Conducting a trade to move up and select Maye isn’t as simple as the Vikings wanting to do it, though. New England, or whoever Minnesota wants to swap picks with, would have to view the Vikings’ trade package as valid enough to move outside of the top 10.

That trade package very well could include not only Nos. 11 and 23, but also the Vikings’ 2025 first-round pick. By agreeing to such a deal, Minnesota would ensure that they make just one top 100 selection not only this spring, but maybe next year since they’ve parted ways with their 2025 second-round pick as well. It would be a very risky proposition from Minnesota’s standpoint.

Nov 11, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) signals the Tar Heels will be going for a two point conversion after scoring a touchdown in the second overtime at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Of course, a number of different outcomes could happen when April 25th officially arrives, but for now, it appears that the Vikings would prefer to land Maye. We’ll see if they get their way in nine days.


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.