• Trading up for a quarterback is the most likely scenario: For as sudden as it feels like his rise has been, J.J. McCarthy would be a great fit in Minnesota, having the opportunity to develop behind Sam Darnold early on and work with head coach Kevin O’Connell.
• The trenches remain a priority for the Vikings: In Round 4, they grab Kansas State's Cooper Beebe to shore up the offensive interior.
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Our seven-round mock draft series rolls on as we get ready for the 2024 NFL Draft. Today, we’re looking at the Minnesota Vikings, who are widely expected to trade up and select a quarterback in the first round.
ROUND 1, PICK 5 (TRADE): QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
We went with the obvious move here: trading the Vikings' two first-round picks to acquire a top-five selection. McCarthy — for as sudden as it feels like his rise has been — would be a great fit in Minnesota, having the opportunity to develop behind Sam Darnold early on and work with head coach Kevin O’Connell.
I like Drake Maye the most for Minnesota — and Caleb Williams even more, but that’s not happening— but I think McCarthy could be a good fit, too. For now, it doesn’t feel like the Vikings would have to pay an insane price to get into the top three for McCarthy.
ROUND 4, PICK 108: IOL Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
The Vikings could stand to add new talent on the interior of both sides of the trenches. Interior defensive line feels like the more pressing need, but with Minnesota not picking until the fourth round after the mock trade-up, there isn't good value in the remaining interior defenders.
Instead, we looked at offense and chose a player with a ton of position versatility in Cooper Beebe. Beebe has been a steady high grader in PFF's system, with overall grades above 80.0 in each of the past three seasons. He has started at left guard and left tackle with some reps at right guard and right tackle. His experience and versatility would be a big boost for Minnesota.
ROUND 4, PICK 129: DI Khristian Boyd, Northern Iowa
It’s not ideal that the Vikings weren’t able to address their interior defensive line until this point in the draft, but it’s the price to pay for moving up for a quarterback.
Boyd put together back-to-back impressive seasons at Northern Iowa. He recorded a 92.4 run-defense grade in 2022, and this past season he earned an 89.4 pass-rush grade. He had a 16.4% pass rush win percentage in 2023 with 41 total pressures. He was constantly mentioned as one of the top NFL scouting combine snubs this year, especially after a dominant performance in the Shrine Bowl practices.
ROUND 5, PICK 157: CB Kamal Hadden, Tennessee
The Vikings have already invested some in their defensive back room. Veteran Harrison Smith is back again for 2024, with the rising Camryn Bynum playing next to him. They also have Lewis Cine still waiting in the wings to take over a starting spot at some point. At outside cornerback, Byron Murphy Jr., Akayleb Evans, Mekhi Blackmon and Andrew Booth Jr. are all in place. However, if Minnesota has the chance to draft a cornerback with the potential to push for a starting spot someday, they could look to do so here.
Hadden's college football journey is a winding one. He was not much of a reliable cornerback before the 2023 season but, before suffering a shoulder injury, recorded a 90.4 coverage grade. He's 6-foot-1 and 197 pounds with an ideal size-speed combination for the NFL. His footwork fundamentals and tackling still need work, but we saw flashes of impactful coverage ability from him this past year.
ROUND 5, PICK 167: EDGE Braiden McGregor, Michigan
The former four-star recruit McGregor has been on a slow rise since tearing his MCL, PCL and meniscus as a senior in high school. He missed his first season of action at Michigan to rehab but has worked his way back, ultimately earning a starting role last season. He has solid height, but his arm length is lacking. He also brings good explosiveness and some decent flexibility.
McGregor's hand placement is often fundamentally sound, which gives him leverage push to get offensive tackles off balance. His strength is lacking, but as a pass-rush specialist, he could be good for a Minnesota edge rush group that had to reshuffle and reload this offseason.
ROUND 6, PICK 177: WR Casey Washington, Illinois
Washington closed out his college career with a terrific 218-yard performance against Northwestern. Although his production wasn't consistent throughout his time in college, he did show a safe pair of hands, dropping just three of his 83 catchable passes over the past two seasons.
ROUND 7, PICK 230: LB Dallas Gant, Toledo
Gant transferred from Ohio State to get more playing time and made the most of it when he landed at Toledo. A sure tackler who impressed as a run defender and in coverage, he's good enough to hear his name called on draft weekend.
ROUND 7, PICK 232: RB Jaden Shirden, Monmouth
Shirden is a high-speed processor with quick feet and good burst to be a potential speed back in a rotation behind zone-blocking schemes.
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