The Minnesota Vikings have raised eyebrows by scheduling a “private meeting” with former LSU quarterback and top-three prospect Jayden Daniels.
According to Ian Rapoport, the Vikings have scheduled a private meeting with one of the top quarterback prospects of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Jayden has been the focus of quarterback draft talk after Caleb Williams. Caleb is the projected number one overall pick, so more conversation surrounds Daniels and which team will grab the 2023 Heisman trophy winner.
The only problem is Jayden will not fall to the Vikings’ first pick in the first round, which is 11th overall. So, why would the Vikings set up a private meeting with a player that might not fall to them?
Jayden Daniels Draft Tour
Daniels has a busy week lined up with top-30 visit to the Giants and Commanders. He has already met with the Patriots, as well.
Daniels’ private meeting has been rumored to occur in Louisiana on Thursday (April 18th). The Vikings meeting will not be scheduled as a top-30 meeting; Wednesday is the last day for those to be scheduled.
ESPN’s Matt Miller says the Vikings have gone an alternate route by not sending head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to pro days, instead choosing to schedule private workouts with the top quarterback prospects.
A source told Miller that the Vikings “want to see them work out in a more intimate setting” to “get them a little uncomfortable running our workout vs. theirs.”
Vikings Draft Daniels
Many rumors surround the Vikings and their desire to trade up in the draft. The trade capital needed to pull off a move to get Daniels will be a very steep asking price. Can the Vikings pull it off?
The Vikings hold the 11th and 23rd overall picks in the 2024 draft. After their top two picks, they do not have a selection until the fourth round. Most assume the asking price to move from 11th to second is pretty steep.
According to Drafttek.com (draft pick calculator), the value of the second overall pick from the Commanders would have to equal Minnesota’s 11th, 23rd, a 2025 first-round pick, and a 2025 second-round pick at the very least.
It is reasonable for Vikings fans to ask whether Daniels is worth that type of trade.
Daniels College Career
According to LSUSports.net, in Daniels’s 55 career games (29 at Arizona State, 26 at LSU), he is the only player in FBS history to pass for 12,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards. His career totals stand at 12,749 passing yards and 3,307 rushing yards. Jayden started 55 games at quarterback (26 at LSU, 29 at Arizona State) with a 37-18 overall mark, including a 19-7 record with the Tigers.
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