Vikings select BYU quarterback Jaren Hall in fifth round of NFL Draft
It took until the fifth round, but the Minnesota Vikings found their developmental quarterback, selecting BYU quarterback Jaren Hall in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.
Hall was selected with the 164th pick in the draft and carries an intriguing skill set with a big arm and above-average mobility. He started 24 games over the past two seasons for the Cougars throwing for 51 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 65 percent completion percentage.
New #Vikings developmental QB Jaren Hall is a poised dual-threat player who had 51 TD passes, 11 INTs, and 655 rushing yards over the past two seasons at BYU. Well worth a fifth-rounder. pic.twitter.com/oyGbt5IQOD
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) April 29, 2023
"Hall is a 25-year-old, deep ball chucker and sort of a poor man's Russell Wilson if you squint at him in the right light," NFL.com's Eric Edholm said. "There might not be tremendous upside, but Hall can give them a developmental placeholder at QB."
Unfortunately, Hall also has an extensive injury history. He missed five games during the 2019 season with a concussion and the entire 2020 season with a hip injury. He's missed three games over the past two seasons with core and ankle injuries and at 25 years old, his ceiling may be as a backup quarterback.
"[He] has Day 2 flashes as a passer," Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports said. "[He has a] quick release. [He's] unafraid to make all the throws and the ball jumps out of his hands. Smooth athleticism in the boot-action game so there's a fit with O'Connell's offense. Locks onto the first read too often and his pocket presence isn't great [but] he's a sensible backup option here."
Any quarterback that gets drafted will have the attention of Vikings fans as Kirk Cousins heads into the final year of his contract. While Hall may not be a candidate to become the Vikings' future franchise quarterback, he carries enough intrigue for fans to keep an eye on in the future.
Related: Vikings Day 3 draft tracker
