As the NFL Draft starts to come into focus, the Vikings are coming closer to making their big move. There are six quarterbacks in this draft, and the quarterback at the top of the draft is clearly out of reach. Caleb Williams of USC is on track to go with the No. 1 pick to the division rival Chicago Bears.
The Bears traded Justin Fields and they are even more desperate for a quarterback than the Vikings. The idea of the Bears trading the No. 1 pick to the Vikings is shocking and it’s not going to happen.
But the second and third picks are in play. The Washington Commanders and New England Patriots – Nos. 2 and 3, respectively — have both indicated that they would be willing to trade those picks. Both of those teams have needs at the position as well, but since there are six elite-level quarterbacks in this draft, perhaps they are willing to go with the lesser name while building up at other positions.
The quarterback rankings at this point are fairly clearcut.
1.Caleb Williams, USC
2. Jayden Daniels, LSU
3. Drake Maye, North Carolina
4. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
5. Michael Penix, Washington
6. Bo Nix, Oregon
Williams, Daniels and Maye represent the top tier of quarterbacks in the draft. McCarthy does not have the experience in a high-powered passing offense that the top three can claim, but he has passed every test at the collegiate level and he has shown he can beat elite opponents.
Penix has a significant injury history with two shoulder and two knee issues in the past, but he did stay healthy during the past two seasons and he combines a powerful arm with eye-catching accuracy. Nix can’t match some of the elite quarterbacks in overall velocity and arm strength, but he does not have to take a back seat in any of the other measurables.
The Vikings appear to be focusing on Maye at this point. New quarterbacks coach Josh McCown has a long history with Maye, as he provided advice after watching Maye’s game film as a schoolboy quarterback at Myers Park (North Carolina) High School.
Maye says that his development excelled at Myers Park, and McCown had a huge impact. “Playing there really changed my football path,” he said. “Going in there my sophomore year and kind of being the guy at quarterback, and things started off from there. It started my journey.”
McCown was signed as a backup quarterback for the Eagles in 2019 after Philadelphia was hit with a number of QB injuries. McCown would install the Myers Park offensive game plan on Mondays before flying back to Philadelphia to prepare for his job with the Eagles.
The Maye-McCown partnership worked incredibly well as the quarterback had a 50-2 touchdown to interception ratio that season.
The long-standing relationship between the two men does not assure the Vikings will trade up and draft Maye, but it represents a strong possibility.
Of course, the quarterback coach does not make the final call. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has to be on board, and his greatest strength is his ability to work with quarterbacks.
After O’Connell is on board, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has to decide if making a deal to get to the No. 2 spot is worth it.
The Vikings have the 11th and 23rd picks in this year’s draft, and they would almost certainly have to add a first-round selection in 2025 or 2026 to satisfy their trade partners. That’s a huge price to pay for a quarterback prospect.
There are no guarantees at this point, but it appears the Vikings have a strong connection to Maye and they will try to make a deal that will give them the option of selecting their quarterback of the future.