NFL Draft stock: 3 teams bold enough to use a first round pick on J.J. McCarthy

1. Minnesota Vikings

All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson has lobbied for the Minnesota Vikings to re-sign quarterback Kirk Cousins despite him suffering a season-ending torn Achilles in his age-35 season, but that shouldn’t stop the Vikings from adding to their quarterback room.

After Cousins went down, the Vikings starting quarterback position became a revolving door of sorts. The Vikings traded for Joshua Dobbs in hopes that he’d be able to vacate the loss of Cousins, which was a failed experiment. Then, they elected to give veteran backup Nick Mullens a chance before turning to rookie signal-caller Jaren Hall, neither of which worked out.

As a result, even if the Vikings plan to bring back Cousins, they could benefit from having a young backup quarterback. Given that Cousins is unlikely to be ready for Week 1 of next season as he continues to rehab, McCarthy would have a chance to start games early on for the Vikings. Then, when Cousins eventually returns, he’d get the chance to sit behind an established veteran quarterback and soak up everything he can.

The Vikings are in a good spot to take a flier on a quarterback like McCarthy and have a lot to offer for a young prospect. Between Jefferson, rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson, McCarthy would have elite weapons at his disposal. Not to mention, he’d be allowed to work with one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.