5 biggest surprises by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2021 NFL Draft

Drafting a quarterback in the third round

One thing the Vikings never seem to do when it comes to the NFL Draft is take a quarterback in the middle rounds. In fact, the last time Minnesota chose a quarterback in the second or third round was back in 2006 when they drafted Tarvaris Jackson with the last pick of round two.

Under the Rick Spielman regime, the Vikings seem to either pull the trigger on a first-round quarterback, wait until the seventh round to add one, or sign an undrafted passer. This hasn’t exactly been a successful strategy for Minnesota, as they haven’t had a young quarterback on the roster with upside in years.

The Vikings changed their ways this year and surprised many when they actually pulled the trigger on a quarterback in the third round. Minnesota took Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond, and he’ll be the backup in year one, and possibly year two, as he learns the position from Kirk Cousins before potentially replacing him.

Mond gives the Vikings something they haven’t had at the position in quite a while, and that is a quarterback who can make plays with his legs, scramble for a first down, and avoid pressure.

He’ll be a fun player to watch this preseason and he gives Minnesota hope that they may potentially have the future of the position on their roster.