B-
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings left with their quarterback, and a B- to match.
by Dabum ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 2 steals
· 1 reaches
The one hole that towered over the rest is filled. The Vikings spent their marquee pick on J.J. McCarthy, and for the first time in a while there is a real answer at quarterback. Call it a sensible B-, earned the boring way.
On value alone, Smith makes the weekend a net positive. They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it. McCarthy has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced.
They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
A tidy weekend of work that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
J.J. McCarthy at Round 1, Pick 11 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
In the 23rd pick they get a sticky cover corner at fair value.
They took Leonard Taylor III at par in pick No. 108, which is nothing to complain about. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Good price on James Williams in the Round 4 slot, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Luke McCaffrey at the 157th overall pick is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. The roster fit checks out.
By-the-book stuff, Javion Cohen at pick 167 squarely in line with his ranking. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Tykee Smith is a better player than No. 177 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
No edge and no loss on Michael Barrett in slot 232; it is a wash and a sensible one. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.