Draft expert believes Vikings will shock the NFL in first round of draft
The Minnesota Vikings continue to get lumped into the quarterback conversation as it pertains to the 2023 NFL Draft. The Vikings aren’t committed to a quarterback beyond the 2023 season, which opens the door for the team to select a signal caller as early as the first round of the draft. Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah […]
The Minnesota Vikings continue to get lumped into the quarterback conversation as it pertains to the 2023 NFL Draft. The Vikings aren’t committed to a quarterback beyond the 2023 season, which opens the door for the team to select a signal caller as early as the first round of the draft.
Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah has circled one quarterback possibility for the Vikings who are slated to pick at No. 23 overall. In Jeremiah’s latest mock draft, he has Minnesota selecting Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker.
Jeremiah sat down with Vikings.com’s Tatum Everett to explain his thought process.
“Hendon Hooker is somebody I really like as a player,” Jeremiah said. “I think he’s gonna be a long-term starter in this league. I wish he was younger, I wish he was healthier and not coming off of [ACL surgery]. But the latest report that I have is that he’s gonna be ready in September and should be ready to go at that point in time.”
Considering the Vikings’ current quarterback situation, Jeremiah is reading the tea leaves. As long as Kirk Cousins is without an extension, the possibilities are endless in Minnesota.
“Obviously nothing is done long-term with Kirk Cousins, so as long as that’s a situation and as long as they’ve been doing their homework on this quarterback class I don’t rule out that possibility. So if you’re trying to find a home for Hendon Hooker and you’re looking for teams picking towards the back half of round number one, you could make a strong case that the Minnesota Vikings would make some sense.”
Watch Daniel Jeremiah's full interview here.
The only other quarterback currently rostered by the Vikings is backup Nick Mullens. Like Cousins, Mullens’ contract also expires at the conclusion of the 2023 season.
Minnesota will have to solidify the quarterback position sooner or later. But with Cousins’ status up in the air, Hooker becomes a realistic projection for the Vikings with the No. 23 overall selection.
