First-Round Pick No. 1 (10th overall)
Shedeur Sanders - QB (Colorado)
The Vikings have games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers , and the Green Bay Packers all within the next month. The Vikings will likely be underdogs in all those games, and if they were to lose those matchups, they would probably be sitting with a 2-6 record (wins over the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears) after eight games.
We will get more into this trade scenario coming up, but in this mock draft, Kirk Cousins waives his no-trade clause before this year's trade deadline to chase a Super Bowl ring with the New York Jets. So the Vikings use their first of three first-round picks to select Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders is a franchise-changing prospect who doesn't get the respect he deserves because he is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders. Sanders, to me, is QB2 in the 2024 draft pool, and I would argue that he is just as pro-ready as USC's Caleb Williams is.
Sanders' accuracy is off the charts, and he never seems to be rattled in big moments, a lot like 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young. Sanders is also a great athlete who is underrated as a runner, although he is a pass-first quarterback.
In just three games, he's already thrown for over 1,200 yards, he has completed 78 percent of his passes, and he has shown he has incredible fundamentals. This would be a homerun selection for the Vikings.
In a Kevin O'Connell offense that lives off of play-action and RPOs, Sanders would fit right in with the Vikings as their new franchise quarterback. Sanders would have an opportunity to thrive immediately with Minnesota, who has weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and two franchise tackles on each side of him.
No other rookie quarterback would go into a situation close to what Minnesota could offer.