With both the NFL regular season and the College Football Playoff wrapped up, media outlets have begun their NFL draft content push. That means that mock drafts are going to be coming at us fast and furious, and we’re going to be exposed to a number of different thought processes for what the Minnesota Vikings may do.
Some think the Vikings need to shore up their offensive line. Others think the defensive trenches need some work. Most think the Vikings need to find a replacement for quarterback Kirk Cousins. That’s the strategy NBC Sports’ Connor Rogers took with his latest mock draft, sending the Vikings former Washington Huskies QB Michael Penix Jr. Here’s what Rogers had to say on the selection:
The College Football Playoff was a rollercoaster for Penix Jr., who looked like the best quarterback in the country against Texas and then came back down to earth against Michigan.
More importantly, he put out two years of great tape in the Huskies offense. His arm challenges every layer of the field and specifically outside the numbers. For a player viewed as a late Day 2, early Day 3 pick before the season, I’ve heard a ton of buzz about him over the last two months indicating he’s on the rise in this draft.
With the uncertainty surrounding Cousins given his age, contract situation, and his Achilles’ injury, quarterback is likely to be a popular route for mock drafts to take heading into April’s NFL draft. Penix makes a lot of sense for the Vikings — if his medical history checks out. That’s going to be a key factor in where he ultimately winds up going.
