This is Ben Goessling’s live report of the first round of the NFL draft from Vikings headquarters at TCO Performance Center in Eagan. Check back here often for updates on the Vikings’ moves.
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Where to watch: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
Where to listen: KFAN, Sirius/XM NFL Radio (Ch. 88) and ESPN Radio (Ch. 81)
7:32 p.m.: Patriots stay at No. 3, draft Drake Maye
The Patriots selected North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick, taking the player sources had said the Vikings hoped to draft in the first round. Now, we’ll see if the Vikings try to make a big move up for one of the other quarterbacks in the draft.
They were believed to be trying to move up to No. 3 to select Maye, though the Patriots’ steep asking price made it difficult to pull off. The Vikings could still move up for Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, or see if McCarthy, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. or Oregon’s Bo Nix falls far enough to be an option for them closer to the No. 11 overall pick, where they wouldn’t have to give up as much in a trade up.
7:27 p.m.: Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels go 1, 2
As expected, the Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick and the Commanders followed by taking LSU QB Jayden Daniels No. 2.
The Patriots are on the clock. What will they do? Keep it or trade it? Will the Vikings make a big move to this spot?
Follow all the first-round picks with this tracker:
6:15 p.m.: Vikings QB poll results
On April 8, the Star Tribune asked readers to vote on which quarterback they wanted the Vikings to draft. While you still have about an hour to vote, here is a snapshot of the results:
5:15 p.m.: Vikings’ first-round preview
The Vikings have nine picks in the 2024 draft, including two in the first round Thursday night, when they could trade up for a quarterback as they look for a long-term solution at the position. They’ve been planning for this night practically since head coach Kevin O’Connell and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah arrived in Minnesota in 2022. They have scouted the 2024 draft class for two years, let Kirk Cousins leave in free agency, acquired the No. 23 pick from Houston to go with their 11th overall choice and put at least a half-dozen quarterbacks through a pre-draft process O’Connell designed.
Thursday could be the consummation of that process, especially if the Vikings trade up even one spot from No. 11 to take the highest-drafted quarterback in franchise history.
The Vikings have drafted a QB in the first round just four times. One could make the argument, as the Star Tribune’s Michael Rand did today, that the team is poised to make the most important draft pick in its history.
The Vikings will be looking for upgrades on defense, particularly at defensive line and cornerback. They could also pursue additional help on the offensive line, or depth at their skill positions. But the first order of business is figuring out their future at QB.
NFL draft schedule: Round 1, Thursday 7 p.m.; Rounds 2-3, Friday, 6 p.m.; and Rounds 4-7, Saturday, 11 a.m.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
