The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the April 24th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to (email protected).
Questions Answered: Our Draft Prediction, The Big Tumble, Hot NFL Draft Take
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Q: What’s your official-official draft prediction?
Answer: Drake Maye.
Whether the Vikings “trade the farm,” which is three 1st-Rounders or more, or watch Maye slide a couple of spots on the board, we believe Minnesota will end up with the North Carolina alumnus.
We won’t be shocked — at all — if it’s J.J. McCarthy when it’s all said and done, but we keep returning to the Josh McCown hire in February. That’s too purposeful to be coincidental or accidental. He was Maye’s high school coach, for God’s sake.
To set a path for a bold plan after Kirk Cousins, give us Maye to Minnesota as the formal draft prediction.
Q: Do you believe J.J. McCarthy may fall down the draftboard as hints have suggested in the last couple of days?
Answer: We believe the theory but wouldn’t bet on it.
The Denver Broncos traded for Zach Wilson this week, and the New York Giants’ quarterback interest may have been a smokescreen all along. If either of those teams is not bidding on a quarterback, McCarthy could fall out of the Top 5. Keep in mind, he began this draft cycle back in December as a 2nd-Rounder.
Last week, a McCarthy plunge would’ve sounded weird. But not as much with the draft one day away.
SI.com’s Albert Breer wrote Wednesday, “As I see it, the Vikings are operating from a position of strength, and could very well call everyone’s bluff on needing to go up for a quarterback. For one, J.J. McCarthy may well make it to Minnesota at 11.”
Q: How about a bold draft take from the NFL on the whole?
A: Jonathon Brooks to the Dallas Cowboys — in Round 1.
Jerry Jones is old school. The Cowboys need a running back. Brooks is from Texas. Dallas has reached before in the 1st Round.
Bold predictions are designed to be outlandish and borderline weird, so we will take Brooks to Dallas — way too early.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.