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Minnesota Vikings: Plausible 2020 NFL Draft quarterback targets

By Luke Parrish

LOUISVILLE, KY - SEPTEMBER 29: Deondre Francois #12 of the Florida State Seminoles throws a pass against the Louisville Cardinals in the second quarter of the game at Cardinal Stadium on September 29, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - SEPTEMBER 29: Deondre Francois #12 of the Florida State Seminoles throws a pass against the Louisville Cardinals in the second quarter of the game at Cardinal Stadium on September 29, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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LINCOLN, NE – SEPTEMBER 08: Quarterback Steven Montez #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes passes against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE – SEPTEMBER 08: Quarterback Steven Montez #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes passes against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

Middle Rounds

Minnesota might be better off selecting a quarterback in the middle of the draft and letting him develop. With the current backup situation, the Vikings may need to draft a player that is capable of filling in but may not be ready to take over the franchise. Here are some options in that range.

Deondre Francois, Florida Atlantic

Florida Atlantic landed former Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois in the transfer portal. Francois played behind a horrendous offensive line at Florida State but has a chance to redeem himself this season. He will compete at quarterback for Lane Kiffin, one of the brightest offensive minds in college football.

Off-field red flags are going to knock Francois down in the draft. That aside, he has shown the flashes of being an NFL quarterback. Francois has a great arm and throws strikes across the middle of the field. He also displays excellent pocket presence and knows when to step out to run. His anticipation and timing are also intriguing.

The major concerns with Francois on the field are related to his size. At just 6-0 and 215 pounds, Francois has dealt with plenty of injuries. Hopefully, a better offensive line will limit those concerns in 2019. Francois has also had a ton of his passes batted at the line of scrimmage. Some are caused by low angles, some by his slower release. Either way, that must be addressed as he heads to the NFL.

Steven Montez, Colorado

Another mid-round option could be Steven Montez out of Colorado. Montez will see his name rise up in 2019 thanks to Laviska Shenault Jr., his star wide receiver. The two make one of the deadliest duos in college football. Shenault is regarded by many to be a top-tier talent at the wide receiver position, so eyes will be glued to the Buffaloes.

Montez is far from a polished quarterback, but he is a remarkable athlete with nice touch. He knows when to take off with the ball and run it himself. His vision within the pocket is outstanding as he buys time for the play to develop. With a strong arm and good footwork, Montez can evolve into a respectable NFL quarterback.

The biggest concern with Montez is his throwing motion. His mechanics are broken but fixable. He tends to stop his release early which causes his passes to fall short. Not finishing his motion lead to a lot of missed opportunities last season, so I am hopeful he works on that as he progresses.

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