Are the Vikings a lock to move into the top five of the NFL Draft? Only for the right quarterback, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
In an appearance on SportsCenter Thursday, Graziano said the Vikings and Raiders have been the teams “most strongly” linked with moves up in the draft. Minnesota currently holds the 11th and 23rd picks in the first round while the Raiders have pick No. 13. Both teams, at the moment, have journeyman quarterbacks penciled in as their starters heading into the 2024 season.
“Now those would be big jumps for both of those teams and it could really depend on what happens at the very top,” Graziano said. “If we assume Caleb Williams goes first to the Bears then what does Washington do? If Washington takes Jayden Daniels that might make the Vikings or Raiders less motivated to go up, if Daniels is the guy they like over Drake Maye. If Washington takes Maye and the Vikings and Raiders both want Daniels, all of a sudden that Patriots pick at No. 3 becomes very valuable.”
Graziano hinting that Daniels is the key interest for both the Vikings and Raiders is an interesting development. Minnesota has been heavily linked with North Carolina’s Drake Maye and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy but less so with Daniels, partly due to the growing assumption that Daniels will be taken No. 2 by Washington.
Kevin O’Connell was very positive in his comments towards Daniels’ athletic ability and the possibility he could translate a Heisman-winning season into NFL success.
“Clearly, he’s a guy that when he does take off, a lot of times his best, most impactful plays running the football come as an extension of passing plays. … And really, when he takes off from that point there’s no angle that’s safe for a defender because of the speed that he has in the open field,” said O’Connell in an interview with KFAN’s Paul Allen Tuesday.
The Raiders have strong links to Daniels as head coach Antonio Pierce was the defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Arizona State when Daniels began his college career there.
“Those are two teams that have the motivation and the means to move up, if they want,” said Graziano.
Dan Graziano reports on ESPN that the Vikings and Raiders are both desperate to move into top-3… but only for the right guy (who he clearly believes is Jayden Daniels, not Drake Maye). pic.twitter.com/XEWCj4Ag8d
— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) March 28, 2024
