The Minnesota Vikings, poised to trade up in the upcoming draft, are taking an extended look at Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on March 18 that the Vikings are sending their quarterback coaches to Michigan’s pro day this week and that head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will attend a private workout with McCartney afterwards.

“They also had plans in motion for quarterbacks coaches Josh McCown and Grant Udinski to be in Ann Arbor for Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy’s pro day this Friday,” Breer wrote. “Minnesota also arranged a private workout on campus with McCarthy for next week, with O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah set to make that trip.”

Last week, the Vikings improved their chances of trading up into the top five spots in the draft dramatically by landing the No. 23 overall pick in a trade with the Houston Texans. The Vikings sent their second-round pick (No. 42 overall), a sixth-round pick (No. 188) and a future 2025 second-round pick in exchange for No. 23 and a seventh-round pick (No. 232).

The Vikings’ ability to offer the No. 11 and No. 23 picks this year has more value than an offer that would include a future first-rounder, putting them in the driver’s seat among teams looking to trade up and land a quarterback in the top five.

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Outlines Plans With New 1st-Round Pick

Given the significant shakeup to the Vikings roster this offseason, including parting ways with Kirk Cousins after six seasons, this offseason has markedly felt like the new regime’s first offseason at truly rehauling the roster.

Adofo-Mensah spoke with KFAN’s Paul Allen on March 18 and detailed the decision to land the No. 23 overall pick, noting the variety of paths forward the Vikings could take.

“That move gave us the best flexibility. I would say at this point there’s a preferred scenario but the process is ongoing, we’re still evaluating things at every position,” Adofo-Mensah said. “At the moment I would say there’s a preferred scenario but evaluation is ongoing.”

Devoid of a long-term solution, that “preferred scenario” is likely a trade-up to land a top-four quarterback in this year’s draft.

However, Adofo-Mensah did not count out Sam Darnold, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract for this upcoming season, as a potential long-term solution at the position.

“I think all these terms like ‘bridge quarterback’ and ‘game manager’ have connotations that come with it,” Adofo-Mensah said of Darnold. “We like Sam, we like what he brings to the team. You think about the life cycle of the quarterback and when they hit their peak, then you talk about the context around them – what offensive line, what system, all those things matter – we looked at Sam as someone who could give us a performance in that position.”

J.J McCarthy Has Potential to Go as High as QB3

While the pre-draft season is full of smokescreens and conflicting reports, the general consensus on McCarthy has continued to rise since the combine.

The latest: NFL Network’s lead draft analyst Lance Zierlein revealed that McCarthy, once considered a second-round pick, could be the third quarterback off the board.

“Had a discussion with a position coach for a team who doesn’t need QB who couldn’t stop gushing about JJ McCarthy and his timing, vision and intangibles,” Zierlein wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I’m telling you… has a real shot of being QB3.”

Had a discussion with a position coach for a team who doesn’t need QB who couldn’t stop gushing about JJ McCarthy and his timing, vision and intangibles. I’m telling you…. has a real shot of being QB3

While McCarthy is the least experienced of any of the top-end quarterbacks in this year’s draft, the 20-year-old national champion also has arguably the most upside given his age.

McCarthy played in a pro-style offense in Michigan that often dominated on the ground to a degree that McCarthy wasn’t needed to be the hero.

However, Jim Harbaugh’s opinion of McCarthy, calling him the greatest quarterback in program history, has tracked as McCarthy continues to climb draft boards.