Vikings trade up with Jets, land QB J.J. McCarthy at NFL draft - ESPN

EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings have their new quarterback.

Six weeks after bidding farewell to veteran Kirk Cousins, they Vikings moved up one spot in the 2024 NFL draft and selected Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 overall on Thursday night.

McCarthy provided an attractive consolation prize after the team tried and failed to acquire the No. 3 overall pick, where they hoped to draft North Carolina's Drake Maye, and were rebuffed by the Los Angeles Chargers in a long-shot attempt to trade for veteran Justin Herbert.

McCarthy was one of at least five quarterbacks the Vikings conducted private workouts and meetings with over the past month, a list that also included Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix and Maye. All but Nix were off the board by the eighth pick of the draft, leaving the Vikings to sweat out a few picks before they swapped spots with the New York Jets.

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The Vikings gave up the No. 11 pick, a fourth-round pick (No. 129) and a fifth-round pick (No. 157) to get No. 10 and a seventh-round pick (No. 203) from the Jets.

In the process, the Vikings preserved their second pick in the first round, No. 23 overall, which they acquired last month from the Houston Texans in preparation for a bigger move up the draft.

The Jets used the 11th pick on Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu.

McCarthy will compete with veteran Sam Darnold, whom the Vikings signed in March to a one-year contract as a potential bridge starter until their new quarterback was ready to play.

In Minnesota, McCarthy will encounter what might be the best landing spot for any of