Sure, the Minnesota Vikings could land C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson or Will Lewis in the 1st round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but a trade package for that endeavor would likely be too important for a team with just five draft , including non-2nd rounders.
Current quarterback Kirk Cousins is under contract for one more season, his first since 2017. The Vikings appear to be clearing the exit ramp for Cousins next year.
Vikings Next QB could be a 2 guy pick
And since Cousins could experience his purple swan song in 2023, and the problem for the Vikings is that the Vikings don’t have the cap space for one of the Big Four quarterbacks in this draft class, the signal caller after Cousins could be a two-half decision. – round newcomers.
These are the men.
Hendon Hooker
The Tennessee commit is probably the most popular Vikings draft theory over the past two weeks. The mighty NFL draft hype machine has decided that Hooker should become a Viking at the end of the month. According to Sportsbooks, Minnesota is even the most likely 32-man team to draft the 25-year-old.
His “problem” is twofold. he’s old for a rookie and is recovering from a shredded ACL. Hooker wouldn’t play for the Vikings in 2023 barring an emergency, but if he were to take over in 2024 and lead Minnesota to the postseason, he would be 27 during that game. For some, that’s an extremely uninspiring fact, especially with the Vikings on the verge of a renaissance of rookie QB experience.
Hooker is fantastic though. He threw 58 passes to just 5 interceptions in 24 games at Tennessee. He does everything the Big Four can do – he’s just old and injured.
Some draft minds believe the Vikings should get Hooker in the 1st round, but when it’s all said and done, he should revert to his original 3rd round draft. And maybe the Vikings will strike there.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Suddenly, like Hooker, Thompson-Robinson is gaining steam. He’s a 4th-round quarterback, which certainly evokes memories of Dak Prescott in 2016 or Kirk Cousins in 2012. However, the dirty little secret is that Prescott, Cousins and Russell Wilson are really the only quarterbacks of late. 20 years from stages 3-7 to continue. The other 97% are flops or flawless.
Last week, Athletic Alec Lewis mocks Thompson-Robinson to the Vikings and explains: There is little downside to this type of choice. You don’t give up your best draft for an unproven player. And, if Thompson-Robinson doesn’t develop to your liking, you can always draft another QB in subsequent years.”
“Thompson-Robinson is not without his question marks, but he is athletic and has pedigree. O’Connell also worked under coach Chip Kelly at Thompson-Robinson College in San Francisco,” Lewis concluded.
ESPN’s Jordan Reed did the same thing the next day with Lewis’ fake Heaven.
The 6-foot-2, 203-pounder had 3,169 passing yards, 39 touchdowns and 10 interceptions at UCLA in 2022. He is known for his athleticism, arm strength and leadership, while lacking accuracy and possibly showing some questionable decision making at times.
He’s a bigger question mark than Hooker, but isn’t injured and won’t be 26 until the 2023 regular season. Thompson-Robinson is 23 years old.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube channel, VikesNow:. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday Raun Sauh and: Sal Spice:. His Viking obsession dates back to 1996. Guilty pleasures mentioned: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, The Sopranos and The Doors (band).
All statistics are provided Pro Football Reference / Stathead:; All contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.