5 prospects rising up the Vikings 2023 draft board after the Senior Bowl
By Nik Edlund
Jake Haener – QB (Fresno State)
The Vikings need to start preparing for life after Kirk Cousins and could look for a quarterback at some point in the 2023 NFL Draft. One guy they could definitely look at could be the MVP of the Senior Bowl, quarterback Jake Haener from Fresno State.
Haener has been compared to 49ers rookie phenom Brock Purdy. They are both small in stature, and don’t have rocket arms, but can move around enough to create extra time in the pocket and pick up yards on the ground if needed.
Haener was pretty impressive in the Senior Bowl game. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 139 yards including a 44-yard touchdown toss to Stanford’s Michael Wilson. He was able to avoid some pressure and showed that pocket mobility that can help his receivers get open.
Haener should now be on Minnesota’s radar. His size limitations can’t be ignored and while he had a nice game he wasn’t flawless. He’s likely a day-three prospect but definitely a guy who is ascending the Vikings draft boards and is worth a much deeper look.