NEWSLETTER
The Minnesota Vikings made moves in the 2024 NFL Draft including moving up to draft QB JJ McCarthy and edge rusher Dallas Turner. Let’s break down their 2024 NFL Draft class and dish out a grade for the team.
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Vikings 2024 NFL Draft Class
Take a look at the Vikings 2024 NFL Draft selections. They traded with the New York Jets to move up from no. 11 to no. 10 to get JJ McCarthy. Then, they traded up from no. 23 to no. 17 to get edge rusher Dallas Turner.
| Round | Selection |
|---|---|
| 1, Pick 10 | J.J. McCarthy, QB | Michigan |
| 1, Pick 17 | Dallas Turner, EDGE | Alabama |
| 4, Pick 108 | Khyree Jackson, CB | Oregon |
| 6, Pick 177 | Walter Rouse, OT | Oklahoma |
| 6, Pick 203 | Will Reichard, K | Alabama |
| 7, Pick 230 | Michael Jurgens, C | Wake Forest |
| 7, Pick 232 | Levi Drake-Rodriguez, DT | Texas A&M-Commerce |
Vikings 2024 Draft Grade: B
The Vikings got great value in round 1 by picking up their future quarterback and one of the top defensive players in the draft. McCarthy did nothing but win at Michigan and will have plenty of weapons around him in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison to develop.
Dallas Turner was the top-rated defensive player on most draft boards and could make an immediate impact off the edge while becoming an anchor of the defense. Fourth-rounder Khyree Jackson has the potential to be a solid press corner as he has tremendous size and length (6’4″).
What to Love: Turner, McCarthy Have Bright Futures
The 2024 class for the Vikings is extremely top-heavy as it looks like McCarthy, Turner, and Jackson will likely be the only potential impact players this fall. Turner fills a major need in the pass rush after Danielle Hunter left for free agency. He has tremendous speed and excellent instincts that should immediately boost the pass rush.
McCarthy has all the tools and enters an extremely ideal situation with plenty of talent on the Vikings offense. Also, with Sam Darnold on the roster, he won’t be forced to play too early if he isn’t ready.
Vikings Add O-Line Depth in Late Rounds
The Vikings added some depth to the offensive line in the later rounds by taking tackle Walter Rouse from Oklahoma in the sixth and center Michael Jurgens in the 7th. Both players have plenty of experience and could potentially be starters down the road.
Rouse allowed zero sacks and six pressures this past season. Jurgens allowed 10 total pressures and just 2 sacks in 2023. These two picks make a lot of sense considering the Vikings might not have much to work with in next year’s draft to bulk up its offensive line.
Did the Vikings Give up too Much?
Now, we must get to the bad news. The Vikings are sitting with just three draft selections in 2025. A first-rounder and two fifth-rounders. The team already had given up its second-round selection heading into 2024. Then, Minnesota sent away its third and fourth-round picks for next year to get Turner.
This is concerning for a team clearly looking to build around a young quarterback in JJ McCarthy. They will need all the draft picks they can get to build depth around a potential franchise quarterback. While Dallas Turner seems like a steal at no. 17 due to him being the best defensive player in the draft, the cost of two draft picks might have been too much.
