Top QB draft prospects JJ McCarthy, Jaden Daniels have high praise for the Vikings
The Vikings are making an impression on the top quarterback prospects at the NFL Combine.
With an increasingly likely hole at QB, the Vikings are doing their due diligence in interviewing the top quarterback prospects in Indianapolis. Now as those QBs stand at the Combine podium and answer the media's questions, many are saying positive things about Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings.
"Went amazing," Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy said about his formal interview with the Vikings. "Coach O'Connell led the whole thing. Just being able to see him in person, he was a lot taller than I thought... everything about what they were talking about everything they wanted out of a quarterback is something that aligns with what I want. Just being able to get on the board with them, have them go through their plays, it was something really special and I enjoyed it."
McCarthy is expected to be in the second tier of quarterbacks taken, will likely be the fourth QB taken overall, and is the most commonly picked to the Vikings at No. 11, according to the Mock Draft Database.
Here is the video of JJ McCarthy answering Ben’s question about his formal meeting with the Vikings
— Nick Miller (@NicholasMMiller) March 1, 2024
Video from @michiganinsider (full video below) https://t.co/sC5Dkzk7ew pic.twitter.com/nBpbnHdc0H
Washington's Michael Penix Jr. is also among the second-tier of QBs in a deep quarterback class. On his meeting with the Vikings, Penix said it "was great."
"I feel like that's a good organization over there," Penix continued. "They show a lot of good things, got a lot of good players as well. I felt very confident in that meeting."
On SKOR North's Mackey & Judd show Thursday KSTP's Darren Wolfson said Jayden Daniels was left "thoroughly impressed" by the Vikings.
"By the way on Jayden Daniels, I was told 'thoroughly impressed' in the sit down, the formal interview, with Kevin O'Connell," said Wolfson. "That Jayden thought 'Woah this guy is legit.' For whatever that's worth that Jayden was 'thoroughly impressed' with Kevin O'Connell."
Daniels is widely considered QB3 in the upcoming draft with many projecting the Heisman winner to be taken among the first three picks. Minnesota would need to jump up from No. 11 to be in range of taking the LSU product.
It wasn't just the quarterbacks the Vikings staff was impressing either. The Athletic's Alec Lewis reports "Multiple folks - agents, team personnel - described Kevin O'Connell and Brian Flores' intentionality/responsibility this cycle as notable."
