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NFL Draft: Minnesota Vikings quarterback options that are actually realistic

By Rucker Haringey

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 28: Shea Patterson #2 of the Michigan Wolverines throws a second quarter pass while playing the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Michigan Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 28: Shea Patterson #2 of the Michigan Wolverines throws a second quarter pass while playing the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Michigan Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Jalen Hurts, NFL Draft
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 28: Quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners rolls out and looks to pass during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the LSU Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) /

2. Jalen Hurts

Hurts probably doesn’t have the juice to sneak into Round 1, but he’s absolutely up for consideration for several teams drafting on Day 2. If the Vikings want to make him their quarterback of the future, they’ll need to select him in Round 2.

The comparisons to Taysom Hill have some accuracy, but they’re ultimately incomplete. There’s a lot more evidence that Hurts can operate an efficient passing offense than has ever existed on Hill. He’s not the finished article by any means, but he’s got a solid platform to build on.

NFL teams should really pay attention to just how much he progressed under Lincoln Riley during his final season at Oklahoma. If he can continue that growth pattern during his first season or two in the NFL then he’s got a chance to be a star.

Even if he doesn’t, the combination of his arm strength and elite mobility make him an intriguing starter. He’s a much different quarterback than Cousins, but he represents the way the NFL is headed. The Vikings would be smart to draft him now and let him come along at his own pace behind Cousins for the next season or two.

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