Another mock draft has Vikings trading up for a quarterback

ESPN has Minnesota moving up to No. 5 to select J.J. McCarthy.

Another mock draft has the Vikings trading up to select their quarterback of the future.

In a mini-mock draft for ESPN for the top-15 picks in the 2024 NFL draft, Field Yates has the Vikings trading up with the Los Angeles Chargers for the fifth overall pick to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Yates has four quarterbacks being selected in the top-5 picks, with the Chicago Bears selecting Southern Cal’s Caleb Williams No. 1 overall, the Washington Commanders taking LSU’s Jayden Daniels at No. 2, the New England Patriots selecting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye at No. 3 and the Vikings taking McCarthy at No. 5.

McCarthy, 21, is coming off a strong showing at the NFL Combine and was the field general for a Michigan team that won the national championship this January. 

On Friday, the Vikings made a trade with the Houston Texans to acquire the No. 23 pick in this year’s draft, fueling speculation that they’ll trade into the top 5 to select their quarterback of the future. Rumor has it that the Vikings have been in contact with the Patriots and Arizona Cardinals to acquire a top-4 pick.

Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy (9) throws a pass during the pregame before the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Dec. 31, 2022 :: Patrick Breen / The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, all but confirming they’ll select Williams with the No. 1 overall pick. The quarterback-needy Commanders, who traded last year’s starter, Sam Howell, to the Seattle Seahawks on Friday, appeared to be locked into the No. 2 spot.

There have been rumors that the Vikings could trade up with the Patriots as their roster appears to be more than a quarterback away from contending. However, the Patriots are also certainly in need of a quarterback after trading Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday.

It remains to be seen how the process ahead of and during the draft plays out, but it appears that the Vikings have the capital to move up and select their QB of the future, seemingly eyeing Maye or McCarthy in particular. There’s still time to figure out the logistics, as the draft doesn’t take place until April 25-27.