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(New York, NY) – NFL free agency is underway, and that means the draft is just around the corner.
So while the big contracts get handed out and high profile trades make headlines, mock drafts are being published – and experts are making their predictions as to where top rookies will end up.
Two Heisman winners – USC QB Caleb Williams and LSU QB Jayden Daniels – will be long gone before the Vikings are on the clock at #11. North Carolina QB Drake Maye is also predicted as a top 5 pick. So it’s possible – if not probable – the top 3 QBs are off the board when the Vikings make their selection.
Long considered a guy more likely to be picked at the end of the 1st round, Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy has been a fast riser in mock drafts. After leading Michigan to a National Championship, reports have said McCarthy has played up his ability to win big games during interviews with teams.
But where do Las Vegas oddsmakers think McCarthy will end up?
Recent odds from Draft Kings actually put the Minnesota Vikings as the favorite to land McCarthy. As of Wednesday, Minnesota is the leader with +180 odds.
That’s up significantly from Monday, when Minnesota’s odds were down to +150. The change can be directly attributed to the departure of Kirk Cousins, who inked a four-year $180 million contract to join Atlanta.
The Giants are tied with the Denver Broncos in terms of having the second-best odds at +350.
And Denver is an interesting team in regards to McCarthy: reports say head coach Sean Payton fell in love with McCarthy at the scouting combine. With the Broncos having jettisoned Russell Wilson this offseason, they’re clearly in the market for a new QB.
As for the Vikings, they signed former Jets QB Sam Darnold to presumably be their starter in 2024. So, grabbing McCarthy and letting him sit for a year or two may make sense.
Of course, Minnesota employs one of the league’s best wide receivers in Justin Jefferson. In the past, some have suggested the Vikings could look to jumpstart a rebuild by trading Jefferson for draft capital. Yet a report from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Alec Lewis says Minnesota has “no plans to trade” him.
