David Levine -> RE: 2024 Draft (3/18/2024 11:01:55 AM)
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Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Justin Jefferson’s extension and more: Vikings mailbag By Alec Lewis What would it take to get to the third pick? — Jeff B. We have to start here. Once Cousins departed, the Vikings’ next step became obvious: find the quarterback of the future. Acquiring the 23rd pick from the Texans adds gasoline to the fire. There’s a dividing line between the draft’s top three quarterback prospects (Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels) and the second tier (J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix and Bo Nix). If the Vikings want one of the top-tier options, they’ll likely have to climb into the top three. Doing so won’t be easy. In 2021, the San Francisco 49ers moved from No. 12 to No. 3 by trading three first-round picks and a third-rounder. In 2016, the Los Angeles Rams moved from No. 15 to No. 1 in exchange for two first-rounders, two second-rounders and two third-rounders. Minnesota is already going down a similar path. Neither Washington nor New England would listen unless the offer included multiple firsts (and potentially more). The Vikings could probably secure a top-three selection for No. 11, No. 23, a 2025 first-rounder and a 2026 second-rounder. Accounting for what the Vikings sent to the Texans, here’s what a sensible overall package could be: Vikings Offer: 11, 42, 188, 2025 1st, 2025 2nd, 2026 2nd. Vikings Receive: 2/3, 232 Might the Vikings be able to hold onto next year’s first-round pick if they trade up into the top five? — Hunter G. It depends. If the Vikings are committed to snagging a top-three quarterback, it’s doubtful. But if they’re OK ascending to No. 4 or 5 for an option like McCarthy — which feels like a major if — they could conceivably keep their future firsts. Which is more likely: trading three firsts and getting Maye or trading two firsts and landing McCarthy? — Jordan J. I think the first outcome is much more likely than the second. It appears the Vikings prefer Drake Maye to Jayden Daniels. Why is that the case? — Luke B. It might appear this way externally, but I’m not sure I believe that. As we’ve previously written, the Vikings were one of the teams that dove into, evaluated and expressed interest in Daniels the earliest. He’s wildly athletic, but the tape shows his accuracy, polish and ability to progress through reads on time. Head coach Kevin O’Connell values all of those qualities. Maye is more raw but offers loads of promise. Evaluators rave about his leadership and temperament. His size and arm strength are undeniable. Emerge from the draft with either of these two, and the Vikings would assuredly be over the moon. https://theathletic.com/5348726/2024/03/18/vikings-drake-maye-jayden-daniels-justin-jefferson/
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