The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft was a historic one for the Minnesota Vikings.
For the first time in franchise history, Minnesota selected a quarterback with a top 10 pick. In order to do so, they moved up one singular spot from No. 11 in order to land J.J. McCarthy. Then, they moved up again in order to take edge rusher Dallas Turner with the 17th overall pick.
It marked just the third time since 1967 that the Vikings have selected two players with top 20 picks, and for the efforts by Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in this Vikings draft, they are being labeled as one of the big winners from the first round.
Vikings Draft Named “Big Winner”
Mel Kiper of ESPN posted his “winners” and “losers” of the first round, and the Vikings were right up there with the biggest of winners from Thursday night. Kiper wrote of Minnesota’s McCarthy selection:
“All along, McCarthy was linked to the Vikings. And all along, we thought they might have to give up their other first-round pick — No. 23 — to get him. Instead, though, they patiently waited. They traded up one spot with the Jets, got their guy and kept the No. 23 pick. That’s a huge win. McCarthy, who finished No. 15 in my rankings, is going to a great spot. Coach Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings will put him in position to succeed. Plus, he’s going to be throwing passes to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. This is a great fit for a young signal-caller.”
Indeed, many had thought going into the draft that, in order for the Vikings to get their quarterback, they would need to move into the top five or maybe even the top four. Instead, there were no big trades to move up for a quarterback, and the New York Giants proved that their interest in a QB was indeed a smokescreen by selecting WR Malik Nabers.
This allowed the Vikings to hold onto all of their first-round draft capital, and as a result, they landed a complementary piece to their pass rush in Dallas Turner. Turner is one of the more explosive edge rushers in this class, and his incredible length could combine with that athletic ability to turn him into a devastating presence on the defensive front. Here is what Kiper said of the Turner selection:
“Minnesota was able to use that pick at 23 to move up six spots to land Turner, my top-ranked edge rusher and the No. 9 player on my Big Board. While the franchise had to give up quite a bit — it also surrendered No. 167 and 2025 third- and fourth-rounders — Turner is a great player who fills a position of need. Like the Bears, the Vikings landed two players in my top 15. This is a really solid haul.”
Even better than Turner’s immediate talent is the fact that Minnesota doesn’t need him to be their top option right out of the gates. They brought in both Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel for a reason: both players are already very polished defenders who can rush the passer and defend the run.
As a result, Turner can simply pin his ears back and focus on making life hell for opposing quarterbacks. He will be a very fun weapon for Brian Flores to implement into his defense.
Overall, the first round went about as well as it could have for the Minnesota Vikings. They currently don’t hold any picks for the second or third rounds, but even with that being the case, two acquisitions at premium positions should make this draft a win.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.