Instead of finding a veteran to replace Kirk Cousins, the Minnesota Vikings reportedly want J.J. McCarthy to be their next starting quarterback. The expectation is that the Vikings will aggressively try to trade up to either the No. 4 or No. 5 overall pick in order to select the former Michigan quarterback, according to ESPN. The Vikings currently own the 11th overall pick.
Four of our five CBS Sports NFL draft experts have the Vikings trading up to select a quarterback. Three of our experts have the Vikings selecting McCarthy, while one has Minnesota taking former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did not attend Michigan’s pro day. However, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown was there and kept a close eye on McCarthy, who this past season helped the Wolverines win their first national championship since 1997.
McCarthy’s stock has gradually risen in the weeks leading up to the draft. The 6-foot-3 McCarthy put up impressive numbers at Michigan. During his two years as the school’s starting quarterback, McCarthy threw 44 touchdowns against just nine interceptions. He completed a whopping 72.3% of his throws last season while helping Michigan go undefeated.
While he didn’t put up a ton of yards on the ground, McCarthy is more than mobile enough to get it done at the next level. He largely used his mobility in college to extend plays while routinely getting outside the pocket.
The Cardinals and Chargers — who respectively own the fourth and fifth overall picks — are two teams that may possibly be willing to trade first-round picks with the Vikings. The wild card here are the Giants, who own the fifth overall pick and are also reportedly interested in a quarterback. New York may also try to trade picks with either Arizona or Los Angeles in an effort to land McCarthy.
Regardless of where, it appears like a forgone conclusion that McCarthy will be a top-10 pick. Where he ends up will likely come down to which team is able to pull off the trade to acquire him.
