The Vikings used one of their many third-day picks to select a quarterback, taking former Iowa Hawkeyes gunslinger Nate Stanley in the seventh round Saturday.
Stanley will likely compete with Jake Browning for the third-string QB spot on Minnesota’s roster. Kirk Cousins is locked in as the starter and Sean Mannion is back for a second year as Cousins’ backup quarterback.
“He started out the year looking like he’d be in the second- and third-round discussion, dropping back in the pocket and scanning the field and making accurate throws,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said of Stanley last year.
“He was protected by a really good offensive line. He does run hot and cold. Some of the head-scratching throws are still there.”
At 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, Stanley has the prototypical size to play quarterback in the NFL, although he’s not very mobile.
As a senior, he completed 59.4% of his passes for 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions, which was a drop from his junior year when he hit on 59.3% of his attempts for 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Stanley is a native of Menomonie, Wisconsin.
