Minnesota Vikings Seven-Round Mock Draft: The One Where They Trade Up

What could the Vikings' draft class look like if they make a move up for a quarterback?

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) / Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Happy draft eve, folks. Let's take a crack at a Vikings seven-round mock that starts with a trade up for a quarterback. There's been some buzz that they could stay put at 11 and 23, but it still seems more likely than not that GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah pulls off a deal to move up. It just might not be all the way into the top four, based on what we've heard about the Patriots' and Cardinals' asking prices.

Round 1, Pick 5: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

Projected trade: Vikings send picks 11, 23, and a 2025 third-rounder to the Chargers for pick 5

If the cost of trading up to 3 and taking Drake Maye is prohibitive, the Vikings will turn their attention to the Cardinals at 4 and the Chargers at 5. There's been buzz that Arizona is comfortable staying at 4 and taking Marvin Harrison Jr., so Los Angeles might make a lot of sense as a trade partner. By doing this deal, the Chargers could still land a quality OT at 11 while picking up an extra first and a future third. The Vikings could wait and hope McCarthy makes it past the Giants at 6 (and also that neither the Broncos or Raiders move up to get him), but this move ensures that they land their guy. McCarthy has the arm talent, athleticism, and winning pedigree to thrive in the Vikings' offense for a long time.

Round 4, Pick 108: Mekhi Wingo, DT, LSU

Last year, the Vikings took a defensive tackle from LSU (Jaquelin Roy) in the fifth round. Maybe they'll take another one this year. Wingo is undersized at 6 feet and 285 pounds, but he's an explosive athlete with a quick first step and powerful hands. He missed five games last season due to a groin injury, but did record 7.5 sacks and four passes defended over the past two seasons for the Tigers. Wingo, who just turned 21 this month, would fill a need for the Vikings as an interior pass rusher.

Round 4, Pick 129: Gabriel Murphy, EDGE, UCLA

The Vikings double down on pass rush in the fourth round by taking Murphy, another slightly undersized defender with plenty of athleticism and skill. The fifth-year senior had a massive 2023 with eight sacks, 16 total TFL, and 61 pressures. He'd immediately slide into a rotational role off the edge behind starters Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, while likely also playing on special teams.

Round 5, Pick 157: Sione Vaki, S, Utah

The best way to describe Vaki is that he's a good football player. He successfully played both ways for Utah last year, which says a lot about his athletic ability. As a slightly undersized safety who flies around the field, he had 8.5 tackles for loss. As a running back, he had 520 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns, most of which came in a two-game stretch against Cal and USC where he had 370 yards and four touchdowns on 30 combined touches. Vaki played just two years of college football after serving an LDS mission, so he needs plenty of development before he can see a major role on defense in the NFL. But he'll contribute on special teams right away and could become a very interesting do-it-all safety with the right coaching.

Round 5, Pick 167: Javion Cohen, OG, Miami

Provided the Vikings don't end up re-signing Dalton Risner at some point, they'll need to draft someone to compete with Blake Brandel for their open starting job at left guard. Cohen is a 6'4", 324-pound prospect who started 37 games at LG over the past three years at Alabama and Miami. He's got good size and a stout anchor, though he needs to become more consistent in some areas.

Round 6, Pick 177: Qwan'tez Stiggers, CB, Toronto Argonauts (CFL)

Stiggers is a one of the most unique prospects in this draft. For personal/family reasons, he never played college football. But he resurrected his career playing in an indoor semi-pro 7-on-7 league in 2022, then joined the Argonauts last year and was named the rookie of the year in the Canadian Football League. Stiggers is a legit NFL athlete with decent size and impressive ball skills (5 INTs among 12 total passes defended last year in the CFL). He needs development, but he has traits worth betting on at a premium position.

Round 7, Pick 230: Joshua Cephus, WR, UTSA

After losing K.J. Osborn, the Vikings figure to add a receiver at some point during this draft. Cephus is a 6'2" wideout with length, sure hands, and above-average body control. Those traits helped him record nearly 3,000 yards and 22 touchdowns over the past three seasons despite only having 4.58 speed.

Round 7, Pick 232: Joshua Karty, K, Stanford

The Vikings need a kicker who can compete with free agent XFL pickup John Parker Romo for an important job in 2024. Karty made 51 of 60 field goal attempts (85 percent) during his Stanford career, including a stretch of 26 consecutive makes at one point. He has a big leg, with makes from 61 and 56 in his career.

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