J.J. McCarthy has only started in six games this season for the Minnesota Vikings, but the majority of his performances have already been poor enough for some to start wondering if the team should consider other options at quarterback in 2026.
Well, in a recent 2026 NFL mock draft from ProFootballNetwork.com's Ian Cummings, he has the Vikings doing just that.
In his latest seven-round 2026 NFL mock draft, Cummings has Minnesota using a third-round selection on current Duke quarterback Darian Mensah.
Minnesota Vikings put more pressure on J.J. McCarthy with selection in recent 2026 NFL mock draft
With this pick, the Vikings aren't totally bailing on McCarthy, but they're not putting all their eggs in his basket for the 2026 season either.
Cummings detailed why he has Minnesota taking a shot on Mensah in the third round of next year's NFL Draft.
"Let’s be real, Vikings fans. Quarterback might be your most pressing need. But the real question is: When can you realistically address it?
The 2026 NFL Draft might not provide the chance, but it’s still worth exploring potential early declarations. Darian Mensah is one such wild card who could change the equation.
At 6’3″, 215 pounds, Mensah is a prototypical passer and a good functional athlete who has bright flashes of anticipation, multi-read processing, and layering on tape. He needs to improve his pocket-depth discipline, but Kevin O’Connell could play with him."
In 13 games at Duke this season, Mensah has completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 2,723 yards, 22 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Like McCarthy was when he left Michigan, Mensah is a super young prospect, as he isn't even 21-years-old yet (he'll turn 21 on January 25). So would the Vikings really want to have two inexperienced quarterbacks under the age of 24 on their roster next season?
As badly as Minnesota needs to re-work its quarterback room in the upcoming offseason, using a Day 2 pick on a very young prospect like Mensah might not be the best path to take.
Perhaps the Vikings think differently, but they would likely be better off either signing a veteran passer with a notable amount of starting experience in the NFL or drafting a prospect who is a bit more polished, even if they are a bit on the older side.
It will be interesting to see what Minnesota does in 2026, as they cannot roll into another regular season with McCarthy as its starter without him facing zero competition in training camp and the preseason.