The Minnesota Vikings season is not technically over yet. There’s still a path to the playoffs with the Vikings winning out and the Rams or Seahawks losing one over the final two weeks, but due to injuries, it’s highly unlikely that the Vikings can make a serious run. So, with that being said, it’s not too early to look toward the near future and see what the team could do in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Round 1, Pick 15: Jared Verse (Defensive End) Florida State

Taking a quarterback in the first round is a strong and realistic possibility, but Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels are all likely going to be gone, with the Vikings selecting around the 15th-20th pick. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could trade up to get one of these top three quarterbacks, but if not, resigning Kirk Cousins to a one-to-two-year deal and looking elsewhere with their first-round pick is the way to go.

Minnesota’s defense took strides forward in 2023, rising to a top 10 unit in terms of scoring under Brian Flores and an influx of youth, but investing in the unit this upcoming off-season can help take it to another level. We don’t know if Danielle Hunter is returning with a new contract in 2024, and even if he does, there is still a glaring hole at the other edge/outside linebacker position. Marcus Davenport’s inability to return to the field doomed a prove-it-year contract. D.J. Wonnum, while he collected eight sacks this season, is not an edge rusher that is feared opposite of Hunter, and he just suffered a major injury. Patrick Jones II did have one of his best games against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, but that is a small sample size, as his defensive PFF grade this season is 34.9.

This makes an excellent case for the Vikings to pursue an edge rusher in the first round. Florida State’s Jared Verse could have come out of college last season and declared for the draft but instead opted to return to the Seminoles for another year. The Seminoles’ defense is one of the strongest in college football, and there’s no doubt that Verse is their best player, as he was named first-team All-ACC. He’s an athletic and powerful force off the edge that gives offensive tackles fits, and among power five edge rushers, he ranks fifth in QB hits and eighth in QB hurries. Filling a premium position goes a long way for the trajectory of this defense.

Round 2, Pick 38: J.J McCarthy (Quartehttps://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1735821290181964029rback): Michigan

Projected trade

Minnesota receives: LAC 2nd Round Selection (Pick 38), LAC 7th Round Selection (Pick 223)

LAC Receives: MIN 2nd Round Selection (Pick 46), MIN 4th Round Selection (Pick 112), MIN 2025 Sixth Round Pick

It seems inevitable that the Vikings are going to select a quarterback; it’s just a matter of where. Outside of the “can’t miss prospects” (Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence, for example), the way the QB board falls is often unpredictable. There’s the Aaron Rodgers example in 2005. Last season, it was Will Levis falling to the second round; the year before, it was Malik Willis, and while Jordan Love went in the first round in 2020, it was Jalen Hurts who ended up being a second-round selection. A quarterback who can experience that treatment in the upcoming draft is Michigan’s J.J McCarthy, who has received high praise from his head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who compared him to Andrew Luck.

Looking at his stats, they don’t wow you like a Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr, or Williams, but that’s because Michigan doesn’t have to throw the ball a ton to win games. McCarthy doesn’t possess a cannon of an arm like Rodgers, Josh Allen, or Mahomes (just throwing those names out there), but he can kill you in the short to intermediate passing game. He’s more like Cousins when discussing his arm talent, but where he has the edge on the Vikings current quarterback is that he presents a level of mobility that allows him to make plays with his legs.

J.J. McCarthy 2023 Season Highlights Part 2 of 3 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uu6jkCae8L

— JD 〽️ (@MGoJDBlue) December 19, 2023

Whether a quarterback sits for a season or starts day one, the Vikings can’t continue to kick the can down the road when addressing this position for the long-term future. Cousins is 35 years old, and it’s not a guarantee that he’ll even be back next season. If the Vikings can get a more mobile Cousins on a rookie-scale contract, that’s a huge win for the front office. McCarthy will likely be there towards the back end of the first round or early second, which may cause the Vikings to have to move up a few spots.

Round 4, Pick 129: Darius Robinson (Defensive Lineman): Missouri

Continuing to invest in this defensive line, Darius Robinson would be a great addition to the Vikings defense. At 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds, size and length aren’t an issue for Robinson. What makes him an intriguing player is because of how versatile he can be along the defensive line. Prior to the 2023 season, Robinson played mainly in the interior but switched to the edge position as it was one of Missouri’s biggest question marks heading into this year. Robinson stood up to the test, and those questions were quickly answered as Robinson experienced a strong 2023 campaign in the mighty SEC.

Round 5, Pick 159: Jaylin Simpson (Defensive Back): Auburn

Sunday against the Detroit Lions showed that the cornerback room still needs work in terms of depth. Behind Akayleb Evans, Bryon Murphy Jr, and Mekhi Blackmon, there aren’t any quality options behind those three. Evans didn’t even have an impressive showing against the Lions and was benched in favor of UDFA Jaylin Williams. It seems like a repetitive theme every year, but the Vikings will have to address the secondary again this season. Jaylin Simpson has been a feisty defensive back at Auburn. He recorded the third most interceptions (4) in the mighty SEC while having an 88.7 coverage grade, according to PFF.

Round 5, Pick 161: Dylan Laube (Running Back): New Hampshire

Ty Chandler should be this team’s No. 1 running back heading into the 2024 season. The question is, who is that No. 2? Alexander Mattison’s first full season with an expanded role has not panned out, and the team could honestly part ways with him. Cam Akers suffered his second Achilles injury, while Kene Nwangwu has shown nothing outside of the kick return game, and DeWayne McBride is on the practice squad. This means that this team is going to have to address that room.

Looking within the Coastal Athletic Association, New Hampshire may have a gem. His name is Dylan Laube, and his past two seasons have been sensational for the Wildcats. Along with his 1,920 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns between 2022 and 23, he possesses more elements to his game. Laube has recorded 1,743 receiving yards and 13 scores through the passing game, including a 295-yard receiving performance against Central Michigan. He’s also collected 2,107 kick return yards and 426 yards in the punt return game, making him a well-rounded running back that can contribute in multiple roles.

Round 6, Pick 177: Malik Washington (Wide Receiver): Virginia

Even with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, this team is still going to need to find another wide receiver through the draft or free agency. K.J. Osborn is likely going to get an even bigger payday, and the future is unknown with Brandon Powell. Looking at the later rounds of the draft, Malik Washington could be a fit for the Vikings. He’s done most of his work from the slot position, and if Powell doesn’t return, he could take his role in that spot. While Virginia finished just 3-9, Washington was the most productive wide receiver in the nation. He’s just 5-foot-9, but he led the nation in receptions with 110 while his 1,426 yards ranked third just behind Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze.

Round 6, Pick 190: Trevin Wallace (Linebacker): Kentucky

Getting Jordan Hicks back alongside Ivan Pace Jr. would be huge for this team next year. The depth behind those two, though, does need to be addressed, especially if Troy Dye leaves elsewhere in free agency. Kentucky’s Trevin Wallace recently declared for the NFL draft as a junior. He finished second in tackles (69), tackles for loss (7.5), and third in sacks (4.5) for the Wildcats this season.

Round 7, Pick 223: Joshua Karty (Kicker): Stanford

It’s time to address the kicking situation. Yes, Greg Joseph bailed the Vikings out during the Raiders game, but he hasn’t been stellar the past two years. He’s hit just 76.9% of his field goals this year, down from 78.8% in 2022. Joseph has also missed eight extra points in the past two seasons. Joshua Karty is regarded as one of the best kickers in this year’s draft class. Unless the Vikings plan on going after another veteran, address it in the draft.