Minnesota locks in their speculated number one target with JJ McCarthy after a quarterback frenzy filled first round.
DETROIT, MI– After months of speculation and frenzy among fans, the Vikings have officially chosen their quarterback of the future. The draft began with a predictable first few picks. However, the Atlanta Falcons switched things up by drafting Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall. At this point in the draft, there were now four out of the top six quarterbacks off the board, with teams such as the Broncos and Raiders still in the market for a future QB. With this in mind and the Titans submitting their pick, the Vikings had to move fast. After making a trade with the Jets, JJ McCarthy was drafted 10th overall to become the future of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings sent the Jets their 11th overall pick, a 4th round pick (No. 129), and a 5th round pick (No. 157), in exchange for the 10th overall pick and a 7th round pick (No. 203). This trade solidified the Vikings chances of acquiring the QB of their choice. More importantly, the Vikings were also able to trade up to the 17th pick by way of the 23rd overall pick, which they acquired from the Texans a few weeks ago. With the two most obvious options left being JJ McCarthy and Bo Nix, the decision came quickly. Just as many experts predicted prior to the draft, JJ McCarthy was officially a Viking.
So who are the Vikings getting out of McCarthy? The 21-year-old former Wolverine led his team to a national championship in the 2023–24 campaign under head coach Jim Harbaugh. In his 2 full years starting for Michigan, McCarthy combined for 5,710 passing yards, 44 passing touchdowns, 508 rushing yards, 8 rushing touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. Throughout his entire football career as a starter, including high school, McCarthy has only lost three games.
While his stats are impressive, another important aspect of McCarthy’s game is his game management ability and his history as a dynamic leader. With lots to offer, JJ McCarthy shines with the potential to stick as Minnesota’s starting quarterback for the foreseeable future. But until then, he will have to prove himself under the guidance of Sam Darnold.
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McCarthy finds himself in an excellent position to succeed in Minnesota. With elite weapons such as Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and TJ Hockenson, the sky is the limit for the rookie. On top of this, offensive-minded head coach Kevin O’Connell is an excellent mentor for the young quarterback. O’Connell will pair JJ McCarthy with Sam Darnold for the 2024 season. Currently, it is uncertain whether Darnold will begin the season in order to allow McCarthy to ease into the starting job. Regardless, it is evident that the quarterback room is in a much healthier position than at the end of last year.
With this pick, the Vikings aim to find some much-needed consistency at the quarterback position. Last year, the offense was led by a carousel of quarterbacks following Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles injury. Joshua Dobbs, Jaren Hall, and Nick Mullens all took starts throughout the rest of the Vikings season. While they were collectively able to win a few games, none of these options could perform well enough to allow Minnesota to limp into the playoffs.
After the season concluded, fans were still hopeful for Kirk Cousins to return in 2024 until he refused to take a team-friendly deal and opted to sign with the Falcons on a mega-deal worth up to $180 million. Once this deal was set in stone, it was clear that it was time for the Vikings to draft a quarterback that they could rely on for the coming years.
JJ McCarthy will debut for the Vikings in the preseason in August. Until then, Vikings fans should keep an eye out for the rest of the draft and other moves in the coming months.
