Exclusive: Vikings trade all the way up to No. 1 in new 2024 mock draft from PFN
Is there a world where vikings are that aggressive and go 1st overall?
The Bears, who were taken in the first draft last year, regained control of the club through a deal with Carolina. Not only would Chicago have to be willing to trade the first overall pick for two years (which would mean giving up three big quarterbacks in this class to go with Justin Fields), but they’d also have to be willing to change a division rival.
Something even more interesting happened. The Vikings won 11 to 1. That’s what happens in a new mock draft from Pro Football Network’s Joe Brobeck. Let’s look at the trades and options in this hypothetical scenario. TRADE: Bears receive picks 11, 42, 126 and 2,025 in the first and second rounds. The Vikings get the No. 1 and 2,025 sixth-round picks.
ROUND 1, PICK 1: MINNESOTA VIKINGS (FROM CHI): DRAKE MAYE, QB, NORTH CAROLINA
There is a growing belief that Minnesota wants to move up in the draft, but at what cost? The Vikings would be giving up significant money to acquire Drake May or Caleb Williams. How much remains to be seen, but a deal with Chicago could require more.
May is a perfect month for Minnesota’s offense. He has the ability to move the ball down the field at all three levels, which is a big reason why he is considered a top two pick. He’ll do well under Kevin O’Connell, but Maye also gives the Vikings an edge they don’t have with Kirk Cousins. One of Cousins’ biggest problems is his inability to consistently escape pressure. May’s mobility makes this team breathe easier, and now fans can watch him develop. Therefore, the Vikings will give up a 2024 second-round pick (No. 42), a 2024 fourth-round pick, a 2025 first-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick in this year’s draft, putting the odds at 11. to 1. Drafted this year (6th recovery). Is enough? Here’s what the Bears got from the Panthers last year. DJ Moore went 9-1 in the runoff (#61), first in 2024 and second in 2025.
The Vikings gave up a high second-round pick and threw in a quarterback, but their 2025 first has fewer assets than the Panthers’ 2024 first, even if the Bears didn’t expect it to end that way. With the first overall pick. Minnesota might have to give up another 2025 pick or sign a decent player to do so (which is a big deal if the Bears are open for business).
As for the pick itself, May’s selection of Caleb Williams is an interesting decision. Williams was the No. 1 consensus pick for over a year after winning the Heisman as a sophomore, but there are certainly pundits who favor May as the front-runner. There is also someone who could take May as the QB3 behind Williams and Jayden Daniels. There is no doubt that this would be an incredibly exciting move for Vikings fans. May threw for nearly 8,000 yards on a 62-to-16 completion percentage over the last two seasons and added 16 more touchdowns. He’s a 6-foot-4, 230-pound QB with good athleticism, a strong arm and accuracy at all three levels. May is in the Justin Herbert/Josh Allen mold as a playmaker with size, athleticism and arm talent. He’s not a perfect prospect, but he has all the physical tools to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL.
If May is paired with Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota’s offense, this would be the perfect landing spot for him to fulfill his potential. If he’s out soon, the Vikings will have the most valuable asset in football: a star QB on a rookie contract.
No doubt Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will give Bears general manager Ryan Poles a call and may even consider moving his top pick. Finally, it’s amazing to see this pickup on the move, and even more so if it’s in Minnesota’s hands.
