Breaking: Vikings Closing In On Deal To Sign $80 Million QB With 63-Touchdown
The Minnesota Vikings have been threatening to trade up in the NFL Draft to choose a quarterback for more than a month.
After receiving the No. 23 overall choice in a trade with the Houston Texans, the Vikings aim to move up the draft board to select a top quarterback prospect.
Could Minnesota Vikings Trade up With Chargers in NFL Draft?
As the Chargers seek to rebuild the roster on the fly, centered around Harbaugh and franchise quarterback Justin Herbert, Los Angeles may be tempted to add at least two first-round picks in this year’s class to improve the roster’s talent, particularly on offense.
In Pete Prisco’s most recent NFL Mock Draft Projection, the Vikings climb the board all the way to choice No. 5, passing the quarterback-needy New York Giants and outbidding the Las Vegas Raiders for the right to choose Drake Maye out of North Carolina.
“They make the move to go up and get their guy in Drake Maye,” writes Prisco for CBS Sports. “While the Chargers, who are re-tooling with Jim Harbaugh, get multiple first-round picks.”
Drake Maye Scouting Report
According to Prisco’s projection, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy will be the first four picks, leaving Maye available to the Vikings.
Maye joins this year’s draft after completing 64.9% of his passes for 8,018 yards, 63 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions during three seasons at Chapel Hill.
“He can make every throw,” says NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein of the former Tarheels quarterback. “However, he will try throws that he should not have attempted. The gunslinger approach fosters boldness, which can lead to turnovers, but it also allows him to win in tight spaces and make splash throws that get spectators (and evaluators) on their feet.
“He leaves too many throws on the back shoulder or hip and needs to learn when to take some sauce off the throw to make it more catchable.”
The Vikings must do something at quarterback to keep up with a division that already has Jordan Love and Jared Goff and is about to add Caleb Williams to the Windy City. Maye provides head coach Kevin O’Connell with a young quarterback to develop in the aim of rising through the ranks in one of football’s most competitive divisions.
