6 low-key 2023 draft options for the Vikings flying under the radar
By Clay Vasquez
Jake Haener - QB (Fresno State)
Measurements:
Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 207 pounds
2022 Stats:
- 2,896 Passing Yards
- 20 Touchdowns
- 3 Interceptions
As the pre-draft process moves along, Vikings fans have had every QB prospect under a microscope. Will the team draft Richardson? What about Levis? Maybe Hendon Hooker? Shoot, even Dorian Thompson-Robinson? There seems to be no stone unturned regarding QBs in this draft except for a few, and yet, Fresno State QB Jake Haener finds himself in that small few.
Haener is not a player that Minnesota will have to worry about someone taking in the first round; they probably wouldn't have to worry about him going for a while, actually. While every team is looking to find their own version of Brock Purdy in this year's draft, could the diminutive Haener be just that?
Haener put up solid stats in college, and his game tape shows that there is definitely talent in that small frame. Haener also ranked second in this QB class in their "S2" testing, an aptitude test that has replaced the Wonderlic in the pre-draft process. You can take that information with a grain of salt, but that is an impressive feat nonetheless.
And one final thing: an anonymous NFL executive made the claim that Haener has "a little Drew Brees to him." That's not your average comparison for a prospect, and while Haener almost certainly won't be Drew Brees in the league, getting just a fraction of what Brees did would be a home run for whoever takes Haener, especially at the low cost it's appearing that it will take to get him.