The Minnesota Vikings were one of the teams to watch heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. They were gathering picks and making no secret about their desire to move up for a quarterback. While they did get their quarterback, it was the edge rusher for which they traded the massive haul. They took a page out of Houston’s book from last year and tried to get their quarterback and defensive anchor for the future.
Minnesota Vikings 2024 NFL Draft Class
Draft picks
- Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy (No. 10 overall)
- Alabama LB Dallas Turner (No. 17)
- Oregon DB Khyree Jackson (No. 108)
- Oklahoma OT Walter Rouse (No. 177)
- Alabama K Will Reichard (No. 203)
- Wake Forest C Michael Jurgens (No. 230)
- Texas A&M-Commerce DT Levi Drake Rodriguez (No. 232)
The Minnesota Vikings made the biggest splash of the night, trading up for who many believe was the top edge rusher in the class. However, it didn’t come cheap. They lost out on picks from this year as well as for the future. If the gamble doesn’t pay off, Minnesota could be in a world of hurt in the future.
Best Pick Of The Class: CB Khyree Jackson
The secondary was a weakness for the Minnesota Vikings last season. While Brian Flores made the best of it, the team needed to upgrade the secondary. Jackson is a promising corner who they were able to get in the fourth round. Many compare him to Tariq Woolen because of his length and quick feet.
We’ve seen star defensive backs come from the later rounds. He comes into a defense with a good coach and a lot of opportunities for playing time. Jackson is no stranger to the big moments having played at Oregon. He could be the best pick of this class easily.
Most Questionable Pick In The Draft: K Will Reichard
I’m always going to question taking a kicker or punter in the draft. The Minnesota Vikings definitely have a need for the position. However, we have seen time and time again the kicker that is picked in the draft isn’t always the one who succeeds in the NFL. Reichard is the FBS’ all-time leading scorer but the NFL game is different.
The issue I have with this pick is the Vikings probably could have gotten a decent kicker after the draft. Would Reichard have been there? Maybe not. However, that doesn’t mean there weren’t quality kickers available that would not have cost valuable draft capital.
Most Interesting Pick: QB JJ McCarthy
It has to be JJ McCarthy as the most interesting pick for the Minnesota Vikings. He walks into a situation that is the best of any of the rookie quarterbacks. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and TJ Hockenson are the pass-catchers with Aaron Jones in the backfield. Head coach Kevin O’Connell is an offensive minded coach who can put McCarthy in positions to succeed.
However, McCarthy comes with so many question marks. The tools are there, but can they develop into elite NFL tools? Only time will tell. The Minnesota Vikings didn’t have a bad draft, but I also don’t think they had a good draft. They gave up a lot to get very little and made some questionable picks on day three.
Minnesota Vikings Draft Grade: C
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