Vikings trade up to select new franchise QB with No. 10 pick
After wrapping up his college career with a 15-0 national championship-winning season with Michigan, quarterback J.J. McCarthy is headed across the Great Lakes for his NFL career.
The Minnesota Vikings moved up one spot via a deal with the New York Jets for the right to select McCarthy with the No. 10 pick.
There was some buzz that McCarthy might be picked even higher, perhaps within the first five selections of the draft, and the Vikings were seen as candidates to move up that far in order to pick him. Instead, they moved up just one pick and still got their guy.
McCarthy played in one of the most pro-style offenses in the country this year, and while there are questions around the light workload he was given, as Michigan often ran the ball while playing with the lead, but he showed the ability to make all of the throws on the field.
Perhaps most impressively, McCarthy displayed great football IQ and impressive touch on his downfield passes, especially those over the middle of the field. Combined with some high-level athleticism, there's a real chance that McCarthy is the total package as a star NFL quarterback, making this a real steal for Minnesota at No. 10.
