NFL
By: Steve Rogers
The 2024 NFL draft is just days away now. This draft is unlike any other in recent history with possibly the deepest quarterback class ever. Several teams are all the buzz as to what they are going to do come Thursday night. There are half a dozen quarterback-needy teams this year. The team getting the most attention though is the Minnesota Vikings.
After six years with Kirk Cousins as the starting quarterback the Vikings have moved on and find themselves in the thick of the quarterback quandary. The Vikings have NOT had a true “Franchise” quarterback since some might say Daunte Culpepper was becoming one before injuries derailed his career but really since Fran Tarkenton. Tarkenton retired in 1978. That’s over 40 years without a true franchise quarterback. Culpepper is the highest the Vikings have ever drafted a quarterback ironically with the 11th pick in the first round in the 1999 draft. Currently, the Vikings hold the 11th pick in this 2024 draft.
Let’s run a quick history of the Vikings drafting quarterbacks since Culpepper. The Wilf Family bought the Vikings franchise in 2005. Starting with the 2006 draft their first swing at the quarterback position was with Tarvaris Jackson 2nd round 64th overall. He played in MN through 2010. In 2007 they drafted Tyler Thigpen in the 7th round 217th overall. In 2008 the Vikings selected John David Booty in the 5th round 137th overall. Jump ahead to 2010 and the Vikings took Joe Webb ( as a wide receiver) in the 6th round 199th overall. He completed 90 passes far more than he ever caught. Webb also holds the NFL record for tackles by a quarterback with 21.
Now here we are it’s 2011 and this might be the worst pick in Vikings history they were desperate to find a quarterback after Brett Favre so they took the biggest swing and missed on Christian Ponder 12th overall in the 1st round. It took 3 long years for the Vikings to be in a position to try and draft yet another quarterback. In 2014 they got close to getting it right when they drafted Teddy Bridgewater by trading back into the 1st round with the 32nd pick (last of the round). However, after a remarkable rookie season, Bridgewater suffered a catastrophic knee injury during training camp in 2015. It was incredible that he even made it back to football but he was never the same. In 2020 the Vikings drafted Nate Stanley in the 7th round 249th overall. In 2021 we saw them take Kellen Mond in the 3rd round 66th overall. Most recently in 2023, they drafted Jaren Hall 5th round 164th overall.
So here we are the Vikings have never been able to find their franchise guy at the quarterback position. In just a few days they will be trying yet again to see if this regime has done its homework correctly to calculate who the next franchise quarterback is for the Minnesota Vikings. They have a lot of options outside of getting to the number 1 spot that Chicago has and will be drafting quarterback Caleb Williams (presumably). That still leaves lots of options for the Vikings. If I were a fly on the wall of their war room I think their quarterback list breaks down like this: 1. Jayden Daniels LSU 2. Drake Maye UNC 3. JJ McCarthy 4. Bo Nix OU 5. Michael Penix Jr. UW. Unlike most drafts, I truly feel like all five of these young quarterbacks have a shot at being successful in the NFL. However, I also think that the one who lands in Minnesota has the best chance at that success.
The Vikings organization has built not just a new stadium and state-of-the-art training facilities but an entire culture of positivity and excellence. All of the foundational pieces of a championship franchise are in place here. Owners who are committed to winning, a GM who understands their vision, a young and in the “Now” head coach who is a former quarterback himself and gets it knows offense and loves to teach it, the skill position players to distribute to like Justin Jefferson the best WR in the game TJ Hockenson one of the best tight ends in the game Jordan Addison one of the best rookie WRs last year a solid offensive line to protect. The Minnesota Vikings have to be the favorite destination for these quarterbacks.
In the end, I think it will come down to these three guys 1. JJ McCarthy 2. Drake Maye 3. Jayden Daniels. Availability is what will decide who the Vikings take if they find a scenario where they can get to Daniels who is low-key their main target if he goes at 2 to the Commanders the Vikings will seamlessly pivot to either Maye or McCarthy. I think there might be some smoke that Jefferson is pushing for getting Daniels as another LSU Alumni.
Hiring Josh McCown as the quarterback coach is interesting as he coached Maye in high school. This leaves McCarthy not that he’s last but he has the most winning pedigree to his resume 2 state high school titles then went to Florida and won a National high school title. He then went to Michigan where he won 3 consecutive Big10 championships. He finished his final college season with an UNDEFEATED National Championship. His college record is just 27-1. Bottom line winners win all three of these guys will do a lot of winning but only one will do it in purple and gold. If I’m playing GM I’m all in for Daniels if that doesn’t work out then I want McCarthy or Maye in that order.
