Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft: Can the team find their franchise quarterback?

167th Overall - Jaheim Bell, TE, Florida State

TJ Hockenson tore his ACL very late in the 2023 NFL Season, so no one really knows if he'll be full-go to begin the 2024 NFL Season. Well, with Justin Jefferson still not signed to a contract extension, the need for another pass-catcher is evident, so I went with Jaheim Bell from Florida State.

177th Overall - MJ Devonshire, CB, Pittsburgh

Picking this late in any NFL Draft, teams should not put a ton of stock into these late-rounders. MJ Devonshire is the pick here with the 177th overall selection. Devonshire has a nose for the ball; over the last two years at Pitt, he's got seven interceptions and 18 passes defended. The ball skills are just insane with Devonshire.

230th Overall - Sundiata Anderson, EDGE, Grambling State

Losing Danielle Hunter certainly hurt, but I don't think the Vikings were planning on bringing him back. They singed Jonathan Grennard and Andre Van Ginkel in free agency, so they do seem to have a solid tandem, but one position that teams can never too have many solid players is the pass rush, so why not take a late-round stab at Sundiata Anderson?

232nd Overall - Austin Reed, QB, Western Kentucky

Why not? NFL teams should move mountains and do whatever it takes to find a franchise QB. I don't see the harm in drafting two passers, and you never know. Brock Purdy was the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft and is one of the best QBs in the NFL. Dak Prescott was a fourth-round pick. Even Tony Romo went undrafted and had a very underrated career.

Could Austin Reed be the next great late-rounder QB?

Final Thoughts

The Minnesota Vikings appear to be set to make a huge move up the 2024 NFL Draft board to select a QB. This makes the most sense for the team in the long-term, and why else would they have acquired another first-round pick?