The Picks Are In!

For a Minnesota Vikings fan, last night was a very good night. The team entered the first night of the 2024 NFL Draft with the #11 and #23 picks as well as a giant need at quarterback. Through most of the long build-up to the draft, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy had become the target of my quarterback affection. His intangibles, winning history, and excellent passing traits caught my attention. At a remarkably youthful 21 years, his best quarterback days are ahead of him. For months, I’ve liked McCarthy best. As it became clear that Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings shot-callers preferred Drake Maye, I hoped that the North Carolina quarterback would become the team’s quarterback of the future. It sounds like they really tried to make it happen. I saw a rumor that the Vikings offered three 1s, a 2, and a 3 to the New England Patriots for the #3 pick. No go. I’m not sure you can reasonably offer much more than that to move up eight spots. 

Drake Maye’s gone. The Patriots grabbed at #3. He’ll have a tough time with a rough team. Now what? In my mind it was always J.J. McCarthy. Trade up? Wait? At #11, there was a seven-pick wait. The Vikings decided to wait? It appeared to work until the draft hit #10.

Earlier this week, I was walking down the hallway at work, thinking about the draft. I was suddenly hit by the possibility that J.J. McCarthy is available with only the New York Jets at #10 in the Vikings way. I thought of the possibility of the damn dirty Jets calling the Vikings and telling the damn dirty lie that teams are lining up for their pick. In order to secure McCarthy, the Vikings would have to hand over picks to move up one spot. Are you kidding me? 

The Vikings insured themselves of securing McCarthy by paying the Jets ransom. 

The deal:

Vikings get:

1(10)

6(203)

Jets get:

1(11)

4(129)

5(157)

When I thought about this scenario earlier this week, I thought that it might cost ONLY a fourth round pick to move up one single pick. Oh well. In nearly every pre-draft scenario, I had the Vikings selecting Maye or McCaffrey in the top-10 at the expense of #11 and #23 and often their 2025 first round pick. 

The Vikings still had that #23 pick. Until they didn’t. Just as I was growing accustomed to J. J. McCarthy being a Viking, they were on the clock. Instead of the Jacksonville Jaguars at #17, it was the Vikings. Another trade. 

The deal:

Vikings get:

1(17)

Jaguars get:

1(23)

4(167)

2025 3rd

2025 4th

That’s a steep price to move up six spots. Sometimes you have to forget about the picks in a trade like this and think about the player. The Vikings gave up those four picks for Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner. Nearly every pre-draft mock, thought, whatever had Turner as the first defensive player selected. It was difficult to imagine him being available after the 10th pick. 

The Minnesota Vikings first round haul:

J.J. McCarthy

Dallas Turner

Quarterback of the Future (maybe present)

Elite Pass Rusher

That’s a fine start.