Vikings Draft 2024: Full 7-round mock draft following the 2023 regular season
By Luke Parrish
The Minnesota Vikings are officially set to select 11th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft following their disappointing Week 18 loss to the Detroit Lions.
The Minnesota Vikings are officially in draft mode after their Week 18 loss to the Detroit Lions. As they set their sights on the NFL Draft, Minnesota is set to select 11th overall, which should set them up for a chance at a quarterback if they wish to go that route.
With the Vikings having a pick this high, the desire for a new signal-caller is certainly going to be there, especially with Kirk Cousins returning from an Achilles injury that we have never seen a quarterback return from.
And at his age, Minnesota putting faith in Cousins seems like a wasted dream at this stage.
The stars have aligned to for the Vikings to draft a new face of the franchise for the next decade or more, and that's exactly what they do to begin this seven-round 2024 mock draft.
First-Round Pick (11th overall)
Michael Penix Jr. - QB (Washington)
If Minnesota passes up on Michael Penix Jr. at this spot in the draft, he is not going to survive until they are back on the clock in the second round.
His play at the end of this season has solidified him as a first-round quarterback in this draft, and he continues to shine in key moments. In the CFP semifinal, Penix consistently made NFL throws into tight windows.
There will be concerns with Penix, whether for his injury history, age, being a lefty, or anything else. No prospect is perfect, but there is some excitement with him and his potential fit with the Vikings.
He is a superb deep ball thrower with incredible arm strength to push the ball down the field and into coverage.
With Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison consistently threatening defenses on deep shots, Penix seems like the type of gunslinger Kevin O'Connell will want in this draft cycle.
If this is the selection, Minnesota will have plenty of explosive plays on offense.
There is a caveat, however, which I will get to later in this mock draft.