The Vikings definitely got their guy at the quarterback position during the first night of the 2024 NFL Draft, and it’s pretty clear that it’s a perfect fit for the former U-M QB. In fact, JJ McCarthy indicated that the Vikings were at the very top of his wish list – and, as his former head coach Jim Harbaugh indicated, the stars aligned on Monday.
The Vikings selected McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick, placing the former Wolverine with an offense in Minnesota that is loaded with weapons. On Tuesday, McCarthy stepped to the podium for the first time as a Viking in Minneapolis.
On what was most attractive about the possibility of playing for the Vikings
“First, obviously just the organization is outstanding. And then you add the players and pieces that are around it, and the coaches, and just everything about being in the Mid-West is something that I always gravitate towards. It was just the perfect fit for me. I talked with a lot of the quarterbacks throughout this process and it was the perfect fit for them too. So, you know, just extremely blessed to be here. Obviously it’s a huge honor and I hope to prove them right.”
On his thoughts about playing with wide receiver Justin Jefferson
“Surreal, honestly. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones…the big boys, Christian Darrisaw, Brian O’Neill I just met earlier, Garret Bradbury. All great pieces, you know, there’s so many more that I could sit up here and just list all of them. But a lot of great pieces that make this organization what it is, and Justin is a key part of that. He already let me know, ‘I go by Jets’, so we don’t get any confusion there. But it will be great to get that connection going with all of the guys, and he’s definitely a key piece to that.”
Two first-rounders with some familiarity. JJ McCarthy and Dallas Turner squared off against each other in the Rose Bowl, where the Wolverines defeated the Crimson Tide in an overtime thriller. They’re now teammates in Minnesota, and it sure sounds like they’ve already got that ‘SKOL’ war chant down pat.
The 2024 NFL Draft resumes tonight with rounds two and three, kicking off at 7 pm ET on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.
