4 QBs with enough potential to stop the Vikings from trading up

It may not look like it, but there is a pathway in which the Minnesota Vikings won't trade up into the top five for a quarterback. Where things stand now, they have their own pick at No. 11, as well as the Houston Texans' pick at No. 23. They could use next year's first-round pick to sweeten the pot a bit, but maybe they don't have to trade up for a quarterback after all? Patience is the name of the game.

We are still a few weeks away from the 2024 NFL Draft being underway, but all signs point to potentially six quarterbacks going in the first round. Four are first-round locks, but we can only say for certain that the first two picks coming off the board will be quarterbacks. Chicago will take Caleb Williams first, followed by Washington taking either Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy.

As far as New England is concerned picking at No. 3, do you trust them? I cannot say that I do. More importantly, teams like the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Chargers picking at No. 4 and No. 5 respectively aren't moving off their top picks for chump change. Thus, I think there is a chance some great quarterbacks could slide in this draft, potentially all the way to even No. 11 to the Vikings.

Here are four quarterbacks the Vikings need to monitor potentially being available at No. 11 overall.

4. J.J. McCarthy has upside, but his hype train is careening out of control

In a perfect world, my QB4 J.J. McCarthy would land with the Vikings at No. 11. To me, he has the chance to be a better version of Brock Purdy with the San Francisco 49ers. I have a hard time seeing McCarthy bust, but I question if all that many teams can get the most out of his former five-star potential coming out of Chicagoland. If he falls, McCarthy would thrive playing under Kevin O'Connell.

However, the amount of draft hype surrounding McCarthy has started to get out of control. A top-12 pick, sure, but top-four? That is a little rich for me. Furthermore, he may not be worth the amount of assets a team like the Vikings would have to give up to be in a position to get him. He offers slightly more variance than say Bo Nix, but his NFL ceiling is not high enough for me to give up the farm for.

All things equal, McCarthy should be the 11th guy taken, but we know that's not how the NFL works.

3. Drake Maye should not fall to the Vikings at No. 11, but you never know

I have said this before, and I will say it again. Drake Maye is comfortably my QB3 in this draft process. He has the second-highest ceiling of any quarterback in the draft, behind only USC's Caleb Williams. However, he has the widest variance of any potential first-round pick. He may have the biggest bust potential of any first-round quarterback. It is why he is such a boom-or-bust type of NFL prospect.

But with that in mind, I have a hard time seeing Maye falling out of the top six. If teams like the New England Patriots and New York Giants pass on him, then yes, there is a chance he could be available at No. 11. I wouldn't count on it, but one of these quarterbacks slide in the draft every spring. While I am not entirely sure if Maye is that guy, there is no greater value for the Vikings than him at No. 11.

If Maye is in fact the great slide candidate, then Minnesota should pounce on him if he gets to No. 11.

2. Bo Nix probably has the highest floor of any potential first-round QB

With Bo Nix, what you see is what you get. Therefore, I think the Vikings could be a fantastic landing spot for him. This is about as early as I could see him coming off the board, but keep in mind that the Denver Broncos picking at No. 12 seem to have a lot of interest in the guy as well. Nix has the highest floor of any quarterback in this draft class but also has the lowest ceiling. Thus, he is relatively safe.

Then again, we said similar things about Kenny Pickett coming out of Pitt two years ago, and look at how awful that turned out ... This biggest difference is Nix would be going to a team that has a great offensive-minded head coach in Kevin O'Connell. Admittedly, it may be a slight reach to take Nix at No. 11, but if anybody is going to maximize his potential in the league, my money is on Minnesota.

If Nix is the next Derek Carr, then the Vikings might be able to forget all about Kirk Cousins ... in time.

1. Michael Penix Jr. might be exactly what Kevin O'Connell is looking for

Michael Penix Jr. is the other high-variance prospect. Unless Caleb Williams is the next Jeff George, I have a hard time seeing him busting. Like Drake Maye, there is a decent chance that Penix could come up empty in the NFL. However, I think he is the best prospect the Vikings could draft at No. 11. He offers greater upside than J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix, without the bust potential of a Drake Maye.

He may be older, left-handed and slightly injury-prone, but we have seen Penix thrive running the offense of a brilliant play-caller before. From his days playing for Kalen DeBoer in Washington, we know he looks good in purple already. I suspect that Penix has won some NFL front offices over with his likable personality and his intangibles. Minnesota may have to think twice about passing on him.

If the Vikings decide to take a quarterback at No. 11, the most logical decision would be to take Penix.