You have to be happy

You know what it is! #Skol

🤳@jjmccarthy09 pic.twitter.com/9SEN97CNYC

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) April 26, 2024

Everyone has their preferred method for the draft. We were used to Spielman and his hoarding. I hated it. I was always of the opinion that it made more sense to identify the guys you are 90% sure will have great careers and go get them. It isn’t the picks that matter, it’s getting the right players. Often you might get one or two long term starters per draft. Even when Spielman had 10 plus picks that’s usually how it turned out.

That’s why I’ve always been of the opinion you make them count. It’s the same reason there’s no such thing as a “reach” in my world. That’s draft bs - Mel Kiper nonsense. It means nothing. All that matters is you get that guy and I absolutely love the change I’ve seen in Kwesi over his mentality his first year. There are only so many elite guys in each draft. Get them and fill the rest with free agency. Take your roll of the dice in the un-drafted pickups.

JJM is the highest drafted QB in Vikings History...

purplefaithful wrote:
JJM is the highest drafted QB in Vikings History...

This is just the fourth time in the Super Bowl era the Vikings have taken at least two players in the top 20 of an NFL draft. 

purplefaithful wrote:
https://twitter.com/Vikings/status/1783697842105700367?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

He has no eyelashes & lipstick?!

Please don't tell me he paints his nails.

"I know J.J. McCarthy really wanted to be a Minnesota Viking," head coach Kevin O'Connell said. "Hopefully, as excited as our fans are, they can know that J.J. McCarthy really wanted to be a Minnesota Viking, and he cannot wait to get here and get to work."

"Obviously, there was a lot of things outside of our control. So we wanted to make sure that we were ready for every scenario," Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. "We're through the moon with what happened. We were able to add a cornerstone piece of the franchise at a quarterback who's got a lot of potential, a lot of ability, who's won at a high level in a lot of different places. An edge rusher, who impacts the game, who's really just scratching the surface, we think, of his ability set: one of the top defensive players on our board. I can't believe we got them both in the same draft."

Adofo-Mensah said he talked to McCarthy via Zoom on the day that the Michigan team got their championship rings. "He wears all his rings one day a year and he only had thumbs free," Adofo-Mensah said of McCarthy.

"But as we were talking, he said, 'Is there a reason you wouldn't draft me?' And I said, 'Honestly, from a talent standpoint, no. You're just a bit of an unknown because you played in an offense that's pretty run-heavy and different things like that. So there's some guesswork, but from what we've seen, we think you can do anything.'"

https://www.startribune.com/nfl-draft-minnesota-vikings-first-round-picks-trades-news/600361721/

purplefaithful wrote:
"I know J.J. McCarthy really wanted to be a Minnesota Viking," head coach Kevin O'Connell said. "Hopefully, as excited as our fans are, they can know that J.J. McCarthy really wanted to be a Minnesota Viking, and he cannot wait to get here and get to work."

"Obviously, there was a lot of things outside of our control. So we wanted to make sure that we were ready for every scenario," Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. "We're through the moon with what happened. We were able to add a cornerstone piece of the franchise at a quarterback who's got a lot of potential, a lot of ability, who's won at a high level in a lot of different places. An edge rusher, who impacts the game, who's really just scratching the surface, we think, of his ability set: one of the top defensive players on our board. I can't believe we got them both in the same draft."

Adofo-Mensah said he talked to McCarthy via Zoom on the day that the Michigan team got their championship rings. "He wears all his rings one day a year and he only had thumbs free," Adofo-Mensah said of McCarthy.

"But as we were talking, he said, 'Is there a reason you wouldn't draft me?' And I said, 'Honestly, from a talent standpoint, no. You're just a bit of an unknown because you played in an offense that's pretty run-heavy and different things like that. So there's some guesswork, but from what we've seen, we think you can do anything.'"

https://www.startribune.com/nfl-draft-minnesota-vikings-first-round-picks-trades-news/600361721/

Interesting statement .... " Is there a reason you wouldn't draft me?'  

Not quite sure how to interpret this. 
 
Is he asking "What facet of my game is an area of need?" or - Is it gamesmanship?  Ego? Something else?
Not that any of those things are necessarily bad, I'm just curious as to the "intent" of the comment

I thought Kwesi's response was a bit guarded also. (Which is probably good)

I've coached linemen, so we're direct and vulgar. This more cryptic stuff is a mystery 

any thoughts?

Vanguard83 wrote:

Interesting statement .... " Is there a reason you wouldn't draft me?'  

Not quite sure how to interpret this. 
 
Is he asking "What facet of my game is an area of need?" or - Is it gamesmanship?  Ego? Something else?
Not that any of those things are necessarily bad, I'm just curious as to the "intent" of the comment

I thought Kwesi's response was a bit guarded also. (Which is probably good)

I've coached linemen, so we're direct and vulgar. This more cryptic stuff is a mystery 

any thoughts?

He was well coached, the statement is a classic "closing" sales statement, you are trying to see if there are any objections before they make a decision so that you have the opportunity to refute any of those concerns instead of letting them walk away with doubts.  Good job by JJ.

My bad. I thought the statement was this evening AFTER he was picked. (Reading comprehension 101)

For those who remember Rosanne Rosanna Danna .........NEVERMIND.

If you had told me yesterday that the Vikings would land both JJ McCarthy and Dallas Turner and still have the '25 1st I would've made you pee in a cup.

MaroonBells wrote:
If you had told me yesterday that the Vikings would land both JJ McCarthy and Dallas Turner and still have the '25 1st I would've made you pee in a cup.

I think thats about all we got left till 2026 :cool:  but yah. 

We could look back at last night very fondly a year or 2 from now. 

And we got the cap in an unbelievable place too 

How we acquire players next year across FA and Draft will look different. It has to.

JR44 wrote:


He was well coached, the statement is a classic "closing" sales statement, you are trying to see if there are any objections before they make a decision so that you have the opportunity to refute any of those concerns instead of letting them walk away with doubts.  Good job by JJ.

Vanguard83 wrote:
My bad. I thought the statement was this evening AFTER he was picked. (Reading comprehension 101)

For those who remember Rosanne Rosanna Danna .........NEVERMIND.

Nice. That is one I haven't heard in a long, long, long time. "Oh. That's very different. Never mind!"

JR44 wrote:

He was well coached, the statement is a classic "closing" sales statement, you are trying to see if there are any objections before they make a decision so that you have the opportunity to refute any of those concerns instead of letting them walk away with doubts.  Good job by JJ.

I was about to say the same thing after being in sales and sales management (hiring) for about 30 years.  It is a classic closing statement that actually puts a little pressure on the hiring manager to answer and show some of their hand.  If Kwesi answered, well we are looking at all the QB's and going to come to a consensus or something along those lines then he is basically blowing him off.  

But Kwesi answered first with a NO and then gives up more information about their thought process.  He has all the talent we are looking for but not the passing resume which every team knows.  The first answer being NO about questions or concerns is a positive close.

Back to the Original thread,

Yes, I am very happy with this draft. I wanted a QB at 11 if we couldn't get to Maye/Daniels. Also wanted to keep the 23 which we did and then moved up for Dallas Turner! What a steal at 17! Some had him the best defensive player in the draft. The draft capital we gave up are bodies 95% of the time. The 4th round and later has about a 3% chance of landing an everyday starter.

I had been advocating to anyone listening (no, I don't have a pipeline to Kwesi or KOC) to get TWO first-round contributors instead of gambling our future on one kid. I was not impressed with Maye (good for you New England), and I would have been happy with either Penix or Nix. For us to jump ahead of Denver's attempt to trade with the Jets and get JJM was an unforeseen coup and I applaud Kwesi for having the balls to do so. They must have had JJM that much higher on their board than Nix, as I was a Bo Nix fan.

So now we have two potential cornerstone foundational players to add this year.

Next year, we won't have much draft capital, but should have $100mm to splurge in free agency.

"Competitive Rebuild"? Maybe finally. I like where we are. We have the pieces...both players and coaches.