Report: JJ McCarthy Campaigning Hard for Vikings to Draft His Guy

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JJ McCarthy - Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

We are just hours away from the 2025 NFL Draft, which will being at 7 p.m. CDT Thursday. As of now, the Minnesota Vikings are scheduled to make their first selection of the annual event at No. 24 overall in the first round.

What the Vikings will do remains a mystery. Mock drafts have been all over the board, not just for Minnesota, but throughout the entire first round. Nobody knows who is going to go where, especially after the top five. It seems especially difficult to pick out what news is a smokescreen vs what is real steam.

JJ McCarthy - Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Thus, it’s likely Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Minnesota front office have little idea who is going to be left on the boards for them later in the first round. All we think we know is that interior offensive lineman, defensive linemen and safeties seem to be the most rumored positions of interest.

JJ McCarthy wants Minnesota Vikings to draft his former teammate

But if tonight’s pick was up to JJ McCarthy, the Vikings No. 10 overall pick from 2024, it appears we’d know exactly who they’re most interested in landing Thursday night.

According to Darren Wolfson (KSTP) on the Mackey & Judd Show (SKOR North) today, McCarthy has been “pounding the table” in Eagan for his former IMG Academy high school teammate, Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker.

“Tyler Booker makes all sorts of sense. JJ McCarthy has been pounding the table for his high school teammate from IMG Academy. The sense I get, and I don’t feel really strongly about this, but it’s that Booker is not going to be there at pick 24.”

Darren Wolfson – Mackey & Judd Show (SKOR North)

This is pretty interesting because Tyler Booker is mocked to the Minnesota Vikings in a few different places. Should he be around at No. 24, it is very possible that the Vikings will have their shot at him.

How good of a fit would Tyler Booker be on the Vikings?

According to those who would know, not only is Booker one hell of a football talent, but he’s a great human too, which is probably another reason why JJ McCarthy is willing to vouch for him so vociferously. Booker played 38 games during three seasons at Alabama, all of them at left guard.

Related: 2025 MN Vikings Draft Help – Latest Rumors, Predictions and What to Watch for in Round One

If he were to land in Minnesota, it’s believed his new position would be right guard, as Will Fries is already slotted in on the left side. According to PFF, Booker thrives most in pass protection, where he posted an 86.5 grade in 2024. His run block grades are much lower. In 2024, he posted a 63.9 grade when run blocking.

If you’re wondering, the Minnesota Vikings run a hybrid inside zone run scheme, that also uses some gap concepts. While Booker might not be the perfect scheme fit, it’s not like he’s a square peg in a round hole. We’ll see how much the Vikings and other teams like him in the first round soon enough.

Another interior offensive lineman that the Vikings have been repeatedly connected to is North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel. Doogie expects him to be off the board by No. 24, too.

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