In Trading Up for J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner, the Vikings Swung For the Fences
The Vikings had a bold first night of the NFL draft. It’ll be fascinating to see if it pays off.
Before anybody else traded up during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night, the Vikings had already done so twice. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company swung for the fences in what could be a franchise-defining draft, choosing quality over quantity and landing a pair of players who they believe will be cornerstones of their future.
It was no secret that the Vikings came into this draft needing a quarterback. They inquired with the Patriots about trading up to the third pick for Drake Maye, but weren’t willing to pay the gargantuan price that would’ve been required. So they waited and let things unfold. A shocker came at the eighth pick, when the Falcons — who just committed a substantial amount of money to Kirk Cousins — made Michael Penix Jr. the fourth QB off the board. Not wanting to risk getting jumped by a team like the Broncos or Raiders, the Vikings decided to call the Jets and move up one spot to get their guy. After going from 11 to 10, the Vikings selected Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy to be their long-term answer at the sport’s most important position.
“We’re always talking about minimizing regret,” Adofo-Mensah said of the trade to move up one spot. “If you’re sitting on your couch one day and you’re like, that extra fifth, or whatever it was, and you could have had a chance at a guy that you think has traits and could be special — you’re never going to care about that fifth round pick.”
In McCarthy, the Vikings are adding a quarterback who has won at every level. He went 63-3 as a starter across high school and college, highlighted by a national championship at Michigan last year. There’s some projection required in McCarthy’s evaluation because he played in a run-heavy Wolverines offense; he’s a statistical outlier as a modern first-round pick who never threw for 3,000 yards in a college season. Nonetheless, he has the athleticism, arm talent, and pocket presence to develop into a quality NFL QB — and maybe a star, now that he’s landed with a Vikings team that’s set up wonderfully for a rookie quarterback.
McCarthy projects as a great fit in Kevin O’Connell’s offense for several reasons, including his effectiveness as a play-action passer. He takes care of the football and is capable of making high-level anticipatory throws over the middle of the field, which are important traits. He also has the ability to get outside of the pocket and make things happen when a play doesn’t go as planned. McCarthy was extremely efficient last season, completing over 72 percent of his passes, and he was at his best in big moments when his team needed a conversion. The Vikings have the option to let him sit behind Sam Darnold for a bit in 2024, but McCarthy might be ready to throw to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison right away.
