Should Vikings Trade Up to Patriots' No. 3 Pick, Take Jayden Daniels?

The Vikings are reportedly a team to watch when it comes to moving up for a QB.

The top three picks in April's NFL draft seem likely to be quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels. What's unclear is if any of the three teams currently holding those picks — the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots — will trade out of their spot for a haul.

A recent report from ESPN's Dan Graziano suggests that New England might consider trading down from the third pick. 

Sure, there has been a lot of talk about what will happen with the first and second picks of the 2024 draft, what the Bears and Commanders will do and where all the quarterbacks will end up. But I'm hearing a bit of buzz about the third pick, which belongs to the New England Patriots. The Patriots also need a quarterback, but there are people around the league who believe they are open to trading the No. 3 selection, moving back in the draft and addressing the quarterback position in free agency.

Interesting. Go on...

If the Pats do trade that pick — which could be Daniels or Maye — the two teams I'd keep an eye on are the Falcons (moving from the No. 8 spot) and the Vikings (moving from the No. 11 spot, assuming they don't bring back Kirk Cousins). Minnesota knows it eventually has to address the quarterback position long term, and the notion of bringing in Jayden Daniels to pair with their star LSU alum wideout Justin Jefferson has appeal to some in the organization.

That's the good stuff. There's been buzz in recent weeks about the Vikings being a team to watch for a possible trade up for a quarterback, but this is a report that directly addresses the idea of the Vikings trading up to a specific spot (No. 3 overall) for a specific player (Jayden Daniels).

Assuming Kirk Cousins signs elsewhere, this might be a worthwhile home run swing by the Vikings. They need to a take a chance on upside, and Daniels has tons of it. The reigning Heisman winner is the most dynamic dual-threat prospect in this year's quarterback class. He threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdown passes with just four interceptions this past season, adding another 1,134 yards and ten touchdowns as a runner. It was a truly ridiculous statistical season for the fifth-year senior who transferred from Arizona State a couple years ago.

Daniels is an incredible runner with agility and breakaway speed, but he's also far more than that. He can manage the pocket, go through progressions, and make good decisions with the football. His other superpower is his deep ball, which was the best in the nation in 2023.

Imagine what the Vikings' offense could look like if Daniels pans out. An elite dual-threat QB being coached by Kevin O'Connell, throwing deep balls to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison? That could be scary for the rest of the NFC.

Matthew Dobbins-USA TODAY Sports

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