The Minnesota Vikings are poised to potentially trade up into the top five of the NFL draft to secure a top-tier quarterback prospect, but they’ve also established an alternative strategy in case their initial plan doesn’t materialize.
Having already possessed the No. 11 pick and recently acquired the No. 23 selection from the Houston Texans through a trade, the Vikings could combine these picks along with a potential future first-round selection to facilitate a trade with teams like the Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, or New England Patriots.
However, if a scenario unfolds where the top three quarterbacks are chosen within the first three picks and another team moves ahead of the Vikings to select the fourth quarterback, the team has positioned itself to pivot towards selecting a second-tier prospect later in the first round.
Jason Reid of ESPN suggested that the Vikings’ primary approach should involve making an offer to the Patriots for the No. 3 pick, which would provide them an opportunity to draft players like LSU’s Jayden Daniels, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, or Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. Alternatively, if securing the No. 3 pick proves difficult, targeting the Chargers’ No. 5 pick could be a viable option.
Despite the primary plan, the acquisition of the No. 23 pick grants the Vikings additional flexibility. Even if they are unable to execute a trade up the draft board, having two first-round picks significantly enhances their chances of securing a quarterback outside of the top prospects. Players like Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. or Oregon’s Bo Nix could be viable selections at No. 23.
Michael Penix Jr. is considered more likely to be available for the Vikings to draft at pick No. 23 than Bo Nix.
Reid also suggested that the Vikings might consider trading down from pick No. 23 to acquire another asset and still have a chance to draft Nix or Penix later in the draft. However, this scenario becomes less likely if Williams, Daniels, Maye, and McCarthy are all selected within the first four picks.
The New York Giants (No. 6), Denver Broncos (No. 12), and Las Vegas Raiders (No. 13) are all potential suitors for a first-round quarterback. If the Vikings are unable to secure a top-four quarterback at No. 5 through a trade with the Chargers, one of these teams is likely to trade up to the fourth spot.
However, this would still leave two quarterback-needy teams picking before the Vikings make their second first-round selection at No. 23.
According to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., the most likely of the top six quarterbacks in this year’s class to still be available in the low 20s is Penix, who led the NCAA in passing last season with 4,903 yards. Kiper has the Broncos selecting Nix with the 12th pick.
“Nix might not fit every team’s criteria, but head coach Sean Payton could see similarities to Drew Brees,” Kiper wrote on March 19. “Nix processes plays quickly, has a strong arm, and was highly productive in college, throwing 74 touchdown passes and just 10 interceptions after transferring to Oregon.”
