Few organizations have been posturing more as if they plan on aggressively trading up in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft than the Minnesota Vikings, and few quarterbacks have seen his draft stock surge more in recent months than Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.
As the draft nears, there’s a legitimate possibility that McCarthy is wearing a Vikings hat by the end of Thursday night.
Minnesota’s ability to get to the top of the board, of course, is dependant on other quarterback-needy teams willing to trade out of their slot, and thus passing on the opportunity to select a potential franchise quarterback.
So, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah must find a team that has its future set at quarterback and would prefer to bolster its draft assets to build around him as the most likely trade partner.
What Would a Minnesota Vikings J.J. McCarthy Trade Look Like?
Climbing into the top-five picks may prove too difficult for the Minnesota Vikings to pull off.
But, the Atlanta Falcons might be the sweet spot.
Slated to pick No. 8 overall, the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins in free agency, general manager Terry Fontenot might prefer additional draft capital to continue adding weapons to Cousins’ supporting cast and adding playmakers to a young defense.
That’s exactly what happens in ESPN NFL analyst Jordan Reid’s latest mock draft projection, which features the Falcons trading up to No. 8, to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Here’s what that trade looks like:
Vikings get: No. 8
Falcons get: Nos. 11, 108 and 129
On the surface, it seems like the Vikings aren’t giving up enough, even to move up just three spots, especially given that Minnesota also owns pick No. 23 in the first round.
“Minnesota doesn’t have to move into the top five for a QB here,” Reid writes for ESPN. “Based on how the board is falling, but it might not want to risk waiting any longer. I’ve heard Atlanta is interested in moving back from No. 8, so this fits from both sides.”
If Adofo-Mensah can slide up three spots without surrendering pick No. 23 or a first-round pick in 2025, this becomes a no-brainer move for the Vikings.
J.J. McCarthy NFL Draft Scouting Report
McCarthy’s strong performance during the NFL Combine and throughout the pre-draft season have turned heads among NFL evaluators in recent months.
“I think there’s a gap between Caleb [Williams] and the rest of these quarterbacks,” former NFL Executive of The Year Randy Mueller told me recently, of this year’s top quarterback prospects. “But, you better put J.J. McCarthy in that top group of quarterbacks, because he may have the biggest ceiling of all of them.
“He crushed it in Indy, and he actually crushed it on film, it’s just taking certain people a while to catch up and realize.”
Last season, while leading Michigan to a national championship, McCarthy passed for 2,991 yards with 22 touchdowns to four interceptions, in an offense that heavily favored the ground game.
Pro Football Focus suggests that McCarthy’s rawness could fascinate NFL evaluators and coaches.
“J.J. McCarthy is still a young and relatively inexperienced quarterback,” Nick Akridge writes for PFF. “Compared to some of his peers in this draft class. That makes him a very intriguing prospect, one who could be anywhere on a team’s board.
“His game could translate very well to a Shanahan/McVay style of offense that likes to use play action and attack the middle of the field consistently. He was able to do that at an extremely high level at Michigan. On the flip side, some shortcomings could put teams off McCarthy.”
If McCarthy lands in Minnesota, there could be far worse situations than leading an offense that features dynamic playmaking wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
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