The 2024 NFL draft is less than a month away, and it’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings head into the event needing a quarterback. They lost long-time QB Kirk Cousins in free agency, and last season made it clear that the answer at the position isn’t currently on the roster. But which of the quarterbacks in this year’s class would make the most sense?
ESPN NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid believes that former Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy’s best fit would be with the Minnesota Vikings. McCarthy has been a popular choice for the Vikings in recent mock drafts, and he would make a lot of sense in the offense that head coach Kevin O’Connell runs with the Vikings.
Reid highlighted the ball placement, timing and footwork of McCarthy, saying:
I really like the ball placement that I saw on McCarthy’s tape last season, too. He hardly ever forces his intended targets to work to haul in passes, putting throws within their body frames. He was off-target on only 8.1% of his throws this past season, finishing with 2,991 yards, 22 TD passes and 4 interceptions. And check out his third-down numbers: 67.1% completion percentage, 9.2 yards per attempt, 6 TD throws and no picks. At his pro day, McCarthy consistently got the ball out on time and accurately, displaying strong footwork from under center and the shotgun.
Minnesota currently sits with the 11th and 23rd picks in the 2024 NFL draft, and it’s widely thought that they’ll need to move up in the draft if they want to select McCarthy. His name has reportedly been rising up NFL draft boards for awhile, and he may not be likely to fall out of the top 10.
Minnesota does have the firepower to go get him — or whichever quarterback they choose outside of Caleb Williams — but will they be willing to give up the assets necessary to make that kind of move is the question.
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