Vikings' first-round trade pays off with quarterback selection

The Minnesota Vikings were rumored to be involved in trade discussions to move up to as high as the No. 4 pick-up until Thursday night. Instead of getting desperate and losing the 23rd overall pick and 2025 first, the Vikings played it cool. It took a minor trade up to 10th overall so they could grab Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy.

The Vikings feared Denver might leapfrog them, so they made the trade to avoid a potential disaster. Atlanta's stunning selection of QB Michael Penix at No. 8 overall threw a giant wrench in everyone's projections, but it worked out for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. He gave up the 11th overall pick, plus a fourth and fifth-round pick to get back No. 10 and No. 203.

Grabbing McCarthy is a hit as far as the value the Vikings gave up, but he's still risky. Despite posting fantastic third-down numbers at Michigan, he was in one of the better situations in recent memory to succeed. He never had to drive the Wolverines' offense and was coached by Jim Harbaugh.

Kevin O'Connell will do well with McCarthy's raw skill set. McCarthy's strong arm and great athleticism bode well for what he could be. However, he'll have to make major strides with his footwork and lower body consistency to fix his scattershot accuracy.

He'll walk into a situation with three great pass catchers, a good offensive line, and a trustworthy coach. We've seen young quarterbacks fail while having a lot less around them. McCarthy is a hard worker, and this was the best situation for him to succeed.

Will he start in 2024? It's hard to say since Sam Darnold will undeniably bring NFL experience and a similar skill set to McCarthy. But he's also not very good. 

Now, Minnesota has to continue to bolster its defense. We'll continue to provide pick-by-pick analysis all weekend long. Let us know how you feel about the trade and selection for McCarthy.