The Vikings made a huge splash Friday by trading for a second first-round pick, appearing to signal an intent to move up and take a quarterback in the NFL draft.
“I don’t think there’s much mystery here. The Vikings are not toying around with their future at quarterback,” Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller told Bring Me The Sports in light of the trade.
With a QB class that has been hyped for years, there is a chance quarterbacks are taken with the first four picks – particularly if the Vikings trade into the top 4.
Caleb Williams of USC is the consensus top quarterback in the draft and is expected to be taken by the Chicago Bears. After Williams, draft experts have some version of LSU’s Jayden Daniels, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and Michigan’s J.J. Michigan as the next three quarterbacks taken in the draft.
Draft experts have talked about Williams as a ‘can’t miss prospect’ but the other three have mixed reviews about their ability to compete at the next level.
Insert Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd who boldly said Friday morning that whichever QB lands in Minnesota will have success – because of Kevin O’Connell.
“Outside of Caleb Williams, who I think has the unique talent to thrive wherever he’s drafted, the second most successful QB in this draft will be whoever Kevin O’Connell of the Vikings lands. That’s my official QB bet of the draft,” Cowherd posted on his official twitter account.
Cowherd has been all over the Vikings the past week, recently stating that Minnesota is “as safe of a landing spot as you can get” for a future QB, owing in no-small part to O’Connell’s aptitude for offensive play-calling.
“There’s seven teams in the Top 16 that appear the most likely to take a quarterback … of those remaining six teams, if you ask them what’s the best landing spot … I think Minnesota is a great landing spot.
“Smart, smart offensive coach … Kevin O’Connell is a really bright coach, best receiver in the league and an excellent No. 2 in Jordan Addison, excellent tight end, a top 5 left tackle, and they just signed Aaron Jones from the Packers.
“That and you don’t have to start immediately. Sam Darnold for a year starts, so if I’m Drake Maye, Michael Penix, JJ McCarthy, Bo Nix, Jayden Daniels, boy that is really, really attractive in Minnesota.”
"Minnesota to me feels like a furnished apartment for a quarterback."
— @ColinCowherd has his eyes on the Vikings pic.twitter.com/3tZjQSFCMU
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) March 12, 2024
