The first quarterback I will touch on that Minnesota could conceivably trade up for is Drake Maye out of North Carolina. He projects to be QB2 in the upcoming NFL Draft, probably coming off the board in the No. 1 to No. 3 overall range. Maye’s high-end NFL comp is some variation of Andrew Luck or Aaron Rodgers. The problem is I think he might have massive bust potential, as with one other player.
Maye has had plenty of starts playing for Mack Brown at UNC, but he never seemed to have the ability to carry the team on his back in times of crisis. Not to say he is a fair-weather quarterback, but I have doubts that he could succeed playing for a poorly-run franchise with questionable coaches and concerning ownership. Fortunately for the Vikings, I know for a fact they don’t fall into this category.
For Minnesota to be in a position to draft Maye, they need to get inside the top three. Trading up in a deal with the Chicago Bears is not happening because they are in division and could have their pick of the litter with these quarterbacks. The Washington Commanders are in play at No. 2, but they need a quarterback and play in the NFC. So it would have to be the hopeless New England Patriots then.
Maye is my least favorite quarterback in the top three, so there is a chance his draft stock could slide.
2. Caleb Williams would reach his NFL ceiling if he played for the Vikings
The other quarterback going inside the top three that has massive bust potential is Caleb Williams out of USC. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is slated to go No. 1 overall, either to the Bears, or whatever team trades up to get him. He projects to be the next Patrick Mahomes. His arm talent and athleticism are off the charts, but there are also leadership issues and obvious character concerns.
For my money, the Vikings are the best team he could go to. Kevin O’Connell would get the most out of his talent and put him in advantageous positions to succeed for years to come. The weapons he would have at his disposal would be out the wazoo. Unfortunately, it would be a cold day in hell for the Bears to trade the No. 1 pick to Minnesota for the rights to take Williams No. 1 out of USC this spring.
Is there a chance Kevin Warren is a Vikings’ sleeper agent? I can neither confirm or deny that. What really bothers me about the teams picking inside the top three is that they all pretty much suck. Washington is probably the best place for him to go to, but it hinges entirely on who they hire as a head coach. He is not getting to New England at No. 3 under any circumstances. No. 2 may be in play.
If the Bears were to somehow screw this up, Minnesota should give up everything to Washington.
