Minnesota Vikings draft JJ McCarthy to be quarterback of the future

DETROIT — The Minnesota Vikings have chosen JJ McCarthy to be their franchise quarterback of the future.

The Vikings took McCarthy with the 10th pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft Thursday.

McCarthy’s coming off a national championship win with Michigan, but he didn’t have to do much as a passer to get there. He threw for just 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions all season.

His NFL.com scouting profile notes a lot of intangibles — “He is confident and seems to have the ability to take slights and digest it as competitive fuel” — but does highlight concerns about his physical ability.

“McCarthy should continue to improve as a passer, but he fails to stand out in many of the areas that tend to be predictive of top-level success in the NFL,” the profile reads.

McCarthy is 21 years old.

Kirk Cousins, the Vikings’ starter for the past six seasons, signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency earlier this offseason. Minnesota signed Sam Darnold to a one-year deal after Cousins walked.

This is the first time the Vikings have drafted a first round quarterback since Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. In 2011, they took Christian Ponder with the 12th overall pick. Daunte Culpepper (1999) and Tommy Kramer (1977) are the other first-round QBs in the team’s history. Culpepper, taken with the 11th pick, was the highest-drafted QB in team history.

This is the biggest move in a pivotal offseason for the Vikings. They spent most of their money in free agency revamping the defense, adding pass rushers Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Jihad Ward, linebackers Blake Cashman and Kamu Grugier-Hill, cornerback Shaq Griffin and others. On the offensive side of the ball, the major addition was former Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones.

The first three picks were all quarterbacks. The Chicago Bears selected Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick, the Washington Commanders grabbed Jayden Daniels at No. 2 and the New England Patriots stood pat at No. 3 to take Drake Maye.

Then at No. 9, the Atlanta Falcons — who just signed Vikings’ QB Kirk Cousins in free agency — took another quarterback Michael Penix.

The Vikings traded the New York Jets for the No. 10 pick, also giving them a fourth round pick.

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