Vikings 7-round mock draft: Finding the quarterback of the future, one way or another (2024)

They have evaluated the quarterbacks. They have drawn up their NFL Draft board. And now, the Minnesota Vikings must wait and see.

See who the Washington Commanders select at No. 2. See what the New England Patriots do at No. 3. And see how multiple other quarterback suitors jockey for position at the top. It’s crunchtime for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who will likely be defined by what happens Thursday night, one way or another.

This is our final Vikings mock draft, a projection of how we expect things to fall. It includes a quarterback, three trades and 10 selections in full.

Have at it …

Vikings’ draft picks

Round 1, pick No. 3 (from Patriots): Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Projected trade with the Patriots: No. 11, No. 23 and a 2025 first-rounder for No. 3, a 2024 sixth-rounder (No. 180) and a 2025 fifth-rounder

The Vikings want a quarterback. Ownership has been and will continue to be involved in the conversations leading up to this pick.

Moving up to select Maye at No. 3 is dependent on multiple factors. First, the Commanders would have to prefer LSU’s Jayden Daniels or Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy at No. 2. Second, the Patriots would have to value the pick allotment more than any available player. And third, the Vikings’ offer would have to trump that of the Denver Broncos or Las Vegas Raiders.

None of these is a given, which is why predicting this is so difficult. Washington could take Maye. The Patriots could prefer Maye to a package of picks. And a team like the Broncos could swing massively with a package that could even include star cornerback Patrick Surtain.

If the Commanders take Maye at No. 2, the Patriots could stick and pick Daniels at No. 3. That would likely leave the Vikings and Broncos in a standoff for McCarthy. Miss there and the Vikings would look at a defensive player at No. 11 and potentially a quarterback like Michael Penix Jr. at No. 23. These are all possibilities. But the one that makes the biggest statement is aggressively moving up the board for Maye, who understands the advantages of Minnesota’s infrastructure.

Vikings….how bad do you want Drake Maye? https://t.co/KEQNm2cdyz

— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) April 21, 2024

Round 4, No. 108: Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina

Waiting to pick again until the fourth round felt miserable, but the run on defenders begins here. This is not a deep off-ball linebacker class, but Gray is one of the better options. He was a multiyear captain at UNC, where linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen called him “an alpha male who loves football. Crazy aggressive with a huge football IQ.” You can easily envision Maye and Gray assimilating into the Vikings’ environment together the way Jordan Addison and Mekhi Blackmon (USC) did last year.

Round 5, No. 150 (from New Orleans Saints): Justin Eboigbe, DT, Alabama

Projected trade with the Saints: No. 129 for No. 150 and No. 168

What are the odds the No. 129 pick becomes a difference-maker? Historical probabilities would suggest the odds are quite low. So, why not allow an overconfident team like the Saints to move up to No. 129 and get another dart to throw at the board?

Eboigbe’s medical evaluation might get in the way. He suffered a herniated disc in October 2022, and the injury pushed into his spinal cord. He underwent surgery, wore a neck brace followed by a bone stem device, returned in 2023 and produced in Nick Saban’s final season in Tuscaloosa. He’s a big guy who moves like a little guy, and he is versatile. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores values those characteristics.

Round 5, No. 167: Qwan’tez Stiggers, CB, CFL

I’ve mocked Stiggers to the Vikings in recent months. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler did, too. It seems too obvious. The Vikings need cornerbacks. Stiggers is aggressive, athletic and driven. He lost his father in a tragic car accident and is motivated to support his family. Add in his youth and the feeling he can be further developed, and this selection is a no-brainer.

Round 5, No. 168 (from Saints): Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon

He is tall, quick and aggressive and can play press-man coverage on the outside. Sound like a Flores cornerback? You bet. Jackson’s play improved mightily in 2023 for Oregon. At worst, the 6-foot-3, 194-pounder could become a special teams demon.

Round 5, No. 171 (from Philadelphia Eagles): Beaux Limmer, OL, Arkansas

Projected trade with the Eagles: No. 157 for No. 171 and No. 210

Reaching Howie Roseman over the phone should not be too difficult for Adofo-Mensah. They’ve conversed often, even spending almost a half-hour walking around Lincoln Financial Field before a game last season. Here, the Vikings exchange one pick for two and use the first on a dependable offensive lineman who played all three interior spots in the SEC. The Vikings’ only interior offensive lineman on a rookie contract is Ed Ingram. Throwing numbers at this spot is necessary.

Round 6, No. 177: Javon Solomon, Edge, Troy

Last week, The Athletic’s college football staff discussed some prospects they think are being overlooked. Bruce Feldman chose Solomon and said: “Solomon led the nation in sacks with 16 and had 18 tackles for loss with three forced fumbles. He did so playing a lot in 2023 as a 4i, which his coaches knew probably wasn’t his ideal spot but that he had the smarts and the flexibility to make it work when his team needed it.” Solomon’s size isn’t prototypical. He didn’t run an elite 40-yard dash at the combine. But he can produce, and shouldn’t that be enough?

Round 6, No. 180 (from Patriots): Nick Gargiulo, G, South Carolina

Double dipping on interior offensive linemen might not be sexy, but it’s smart. Gargiulo began his career at Yale. His production wavered in one year at the FBS level. Yet he has the athleticism, size (6-5, 318 pounds) and zone-scheme experience to join an offensive line led by Chris Kuper that aims to pride itself on development.

Round 6, No. 210 (from Eagles): Cody Schrader, RB, Missouri

Going after a running back makes sense. The Vikings feel strongly about the Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler tandem. Jones’ injury history might require some insurance, and though Chandler could assume the role, Minnesota could also benefit from an experienced, downhill option made up of the values head coach Kevin O’Connell seeks. Schrader, who became one of the nation’s premier running backs last year, transferred from Division II Truman State and rammed his way into prominence.

Round 7, No. 230: Tyrice Knight, LB, UTEP

If you liked Ivan Pace Jr. as an undrafted signing, you’ll like this pick. Knight led the FBS in solo tackles in 2023 (84). He does not have great size or speed, but he can range across the field and contribute. Bet on production this late in the draft.

Round 7, No. 232: Isaiah Williams, WR, Illinois

Adofo-Mensah used his first seventh-rounder on a receiver, and Jalen Nailor has shown flashes. Still, the Vikings could take another flier on the position and allow revered receivers coach Keenan McCardell to squeeze out as much talent as possible. Williams is a former dual-threat quarterback who glides through routes. His 5-9, 179-pound frame might limit his ceiling, but size did not matter in the Vikings’ evaluation of Jordan Addison.

(Photo: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)