The Vikings recently extended quarterback Kirk Cousins, but Minnesota can still look at other options, especially if one falls to them in the draft.
Justin Herbert has a high ceiling, but has shown weaknesses under pressure. I think he’s worth the risk if he’s available for the Vikings at pick No. 22 or pick No. 25.
In this case, Herbert managed to fall to the Vikings in a draft simulation done on The Draft Network. I decided to take him because he might pan out to be a competent quarterback. And if that were to happen, since Cousins’ no-trade clause is gone, the Vikings could deal Cousins, and get a decent package for him. I actually think Cousins gets a bad wrap from Vikings fans, and he’s shown to be a pretty good quarterback. However, if Herbert reached his full potential on a rookie contract, Minnesota would be smart to deal Cousins and improve other position groups.
You can see what other teams did in the draft simulation here.
Here’s what I did in the draft.
Round 1: Oregon QB Justin Herbert
As I mentioned, I went with Herbert in the first round. I think it’s worth the risk, and his arm strength and deep-ball accuracy might translate to the NFL well. He could very well be off the table by pick No. 5, but if that’s not the case, he might slip a little bit. There will inevitably be players who fall later in the draft than some expect, and in this simulation, the Vikings got lucky with Herbert.