Did the Vikings just draft the next Brock Purdy?

At least one ESPN analyst believes that the Minnesota Vikings could have landed a steal in the 2023 NFL Draft in former BYU quarterback Jaren Hall.

Heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, some believed the Minnesota Vikings were a team that was going to come out of the first round with a new quarterback. That didn't end up happening, but the Vikings did still leave this year's draft with a new signal-caller when they used a fifth-round pick to select former BYU quarterback Jaren Hall.

Hall is viewed by most as a developmental quarterback, but some also believe he has the potential to emerge as an NFL starter one day. Landing in Minnesota with head coach Kevin O'Connell should certainly give him a good chance to reach his full potential in the league.

Could Hall be the guy that the Vikings choose to replace Kirk Cousins as their starter in 2024? The chances of that seem low right now, but ESPN's Louis Riddick is someone who believes the former BYU quarterback could eventually emerge as a late-round steal, just as Brock Purdy was for the San Francisco 49ers last season.

ESPN analyst says Minnesota Vikings QB Jaren Hall could be a "Brock Purdy type of guy"

Despite the 49ers selecting him with the very last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy was able to lead San Francisco to a 7-1 record in eight starts last season, which included a trip to the NFC Championship.

A record amount of passing prospects were drafted this year as teams are attempting to see if they can find the next Purdy. When it comes to Hall, ESPN's Louis Riddick thinks that Minnesota's newest quarterback has the potential to make an impact in the NFL that could be similar to what Purdy was able to do in 2022.

“He’s just one of those guys who you just know is going to do things the right way, on and off the football field. He just needs to develop consistency, and once he’s able to do that, I think this is one of those guys that can be a Brock Purdy type of guy. He has that kind of make-up.”

With Cousins still under contract for the 2023 season, the earliest Hall could make any sort of impact on the Vikings likely wouldn't be able to happen until 2024.

If Minnesota actually does give Hall the opportunity to start for them during the 2024 season, the former BYU quarterback has at least one person in Riddick who believes he could emerge as a late-round steal like Purdy.