Kevin O’Connell On Sticking Or Twisting In The Draft
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell had encouraging words for Sam Darnold ahead of a pivotal draft for the franchise.
Sam Darnold joins Minnesota following a year of backing up Brock Purdy in San Francisco, and is currently QB1.
However, Kevin O’Connell didn’t rule out trading up in the draft to acquire a quarterback. The Vikings are in an advantageous position with first-round picks numbers 11 and 23 up their sleeve.
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Do you replace Kirk Cousins with a known quarterback or do you replace him by committee with multiple players? Kevin O’Connell didn’t give what the Vikings are thinking away on Monday.
“I think you view it as extra flexibility in a draft where between our pick at 11 and the way we’re looking at this draft at pick 23, we think there’s going to be some really good players available, if we were just to stay at those positions and take players, maybe a quarterback, maybe a couple defensive players,” O’Connell said.
“I think it’s going to be a big-time offensive draft at the top, so when those marquee defensive players start to go, could be in a range around that 11th pick for us, but I think it was about flexibility.”
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“I think Sam’s at that point in his career. I think his best football is ahead of him because of how he’s handled the last couple years, whether it’s going 4-2 down the stretch in Carolina in ’22, or when you turn on the tape of his work in San Francisco, you can tell Kyle (Shanahan), Brian Griese — these guys did a great job in the next phase of his career. Fundamentals, techniques; things that you look for to see growth.
“I’m excited to get going with Sam because I think we can pick up where he left off last year. Like I’ve talked about already, love the group of guys that we have around the quarterback position in our offense right now, and I think it’s a going to be a really positive situation for Sam.”
