NFL insider believes Vikings could take advantage of draft day stunner
Nobody knows what the board might look like when the Minnesota Vikings go on the clock with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. What has become fairly obvious over the last couple of months is that the Vikings are likely in the market for a quarterback at some point in the […]
Nobody knows what the board might look like when the Minnesota Vikings go on the clock with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. What has become fairly obvious over the last couple of months is that the Vikings are likely in the market for a quarterback at some point in the NFL’s annual event.
The Vikings could opt to use their first-round pick on a quarterback if the right player falls into their lap. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport believes there is a real possibility that Minnesota could benefit from a potential draft day slide for one of the top passers in this draft class.
"It's unlikely to me that we get 1, 2, 3, 4 quarterbacks," said Rapoport. "A more likely scenario is two, maybe three, obviously depending on what the Houston Texans do at No. 2, go in the top four… If that happens you might see a quarterback slip into the teens… Let's say it's Anthony Richardson. We know that several of the teams in the teens have done work on quarterbacks; from the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”
"It's really going to be fascinating to see who decides to come up for a quarterback. And the reason I say come up is rarely does everyone just sit. If it's a quarterback and you think he's a part of your future – rarely are you patient. [It's] more likely you're impatient to leap up and get your guy."
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell have done extensive work on the top quarterbacks in this draft class. Minnesota has been linked to Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker in plenty of mock drafts, but Rapoport suggests there is a legitimate chance that Will Levis or Anthony Richardson could fall victim to a draft day slide.
There are more pressing needs when looking ahead to the Vikings’ 2023 season, but the team must address the quarterback position at some point in the draft. Neither Kirk Cousins or Nick Mullens are contractually tied to Minnesota beyond the 2023 season, so drafting a quarterback in the first round makes sense for the future of the franchise.
