J.J. McCarthy had the perfect reaction to getting drafted by the Vikings

Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft has concluded, and the Minnesota Vikings have a new quarterback after they decided to use the 10th overall pick on former Michigan signal-caller J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy was ecstatic to get the call from the Vikings, and his reaction to the news was shared online shortly after the selection was made.

J.J. McCarthy excited to get to work with the Minnesota Vikings

Judging from the clip above, Minnesota's new quarterback is very happy to be getting the opportunity to suit up for the purple and gold. McCarthy even found a way to mix in a SKOL clap in his reaction, which should put a smile on the Vikings fan base.

Heading into the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday, some believed Minnesota was going to figure out a way to trade into the top-five selections in order to pick one of the top quarterback prospects. Well, the Vikings' attempts to move up to the top of the round were unsuccessful, but luckily, the New York Jets were willing to make a trade with them.

So, in a move that seemed like it was made to prevent any other teams from taking the guy on their radar, Minnesota made a trade with the Jets to move up one spot from pick No. 11 to pick No. 10. Once the Vikings were on the clock, it wasn't long after that their selection of McCarthy was made official.

The 10th pick is the highest that Minnesota has used on a quarterback in the NFL Draft in the history of the franchise. So, immediately, McCarthy has some high expectations to meet, as the Vikings clearly feel strongly about his potential.

Since he just turned 21 in January, Minnesota shouldn't feel the need to rush him out onto the field next season, though. If Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell feels McCarthy is ready to play by the team's 2024 regular-season opener, then the rookie will play. But O'Connell shouldn't feel any sort of pressure to make the former Michigan quarterback Minnesota's Week 1 starter in 2024.

Plenty of the current top quarterbacks around the NFL spent at least a portion of their first season in the league on the sidelines. It's a group that includes Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jordan Love, and Lamar Jackson. So, even if the Vikings feel it's best for McCarthy to begin the 2024 campaign on the sideline, it shouldn't be viewed as a negative.

Minnesota wants him to be their starting quarterback for a long time, so if the team believes what's best for him next season is to wait at least a few weeks for his journey to begin, then that seems like something they're willing to do.

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