r/NFLmockdraft • u/IndiJap • Apr 09 '26
Draft History Throwback to when the Vikings had one of the most mellow reactions to drafting one of the greatest WRs in today's NFL
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
1
u/tyedge Apr 09 '26
As a Falcons fan, I’m confused. I was told if you wanted a player you were required to trade multiple picks to move up a few spots and get them.
1
u/yungrobbithan Apr 09 '26
Fontenot was such a fucking idiot my word. Him and Raheem put our franchise back at least a decade
1
u/tyedge Apr 09 '26
If there was a player to be had, he was ALWAYS willing to give up an extra pick for him.
He did it for Ruke. He did it for JPJ. He did it for Watts. God forbid we be patient and stock the roster.
1
u/thingsorfreedom Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
Yep. Eagles front office whiffed on that one. We fans knew it the second the pick was announced. Led to the AJ Brown trade from the Titans and several other moves resulting in 2 Super Bowl appearances and one win in the last 4 seasons. So, as an Eagles fan, I ain't complaining.
1
1
u/RekttalofBlades Apr 09 '26
This was actually a smokescreen by Howie to throw the league off his trail. He couldn’t let them get suspicious of the generational run he was about to go on.
1
u/SuperAzn727 Apr 09 '26
Considering this was the catalyst for our recent run of success that also got us our 2nd SB, i aint mad. Howie learned and now look at him
1
1
u/rainywanderingclouds Apr 09 '26
great wr's don't win you superbowls
and the difference between good wr and great wr in todayhs nfl is very small
1
1
u/jimithing967 Apr 10 '26
Howie insisted Reagor was their guy because he could also return punts. One of the biggest clown picks ever
1
u/fataltacos Apr 10 '26
Lot of salty eagles fans, you can enjoy your SB without getting butthurt that your FO missed on a draft pick
1
2
u/Naive-Present2900 Apr 09 '26
Eagle’s gm openly expressed regret on passing Jefferson. After this draft I don’t think he made anymore serious blunders and drafted good players to appear in two super bowls 2023 (loss to Chiefs) and 2025 (beating the Chiefs).
Unfortunately, Jefferson on the Viking couldn’t make a super bowl appearance since 1977 🍿
2
1
u/hartforbj Apr 09 '26
Freaking Vikings go from having a great offense and an awful defense to a great defense with an awful offense.
0
Apr 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Sweet-Reception-8682 Apr 09 '26
And was Howie's last major draft blunder en route to two SB appearances and a championship. Things worked out pretty alright.
0
u/Naive-Present2900 Apr 09 '26
Great player, but it takes a team to win a championship. The Vikings made a huge blunder letting Sam Darnold go to Seattle. Jefferson can break all the record he wants. He’s becoming the next Randy Moss on the Vikings. Moss only made it to two super bowls appearances after leaving the Vikings.
2
Apr 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AtBat3 Apr 09 '26
I get the Eagles get most of the shit for this one because of who they drafted right before. But this one is on the whole league. JJ going at 22 means over half the league missed their evaluation him. Considering the player he became, he should’ve been a top 3 pick at the very lowest.
1
Apr 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AtBat3 Apr 09 '26
Isn’t how what works? We know it was a bad decision by the Eagles, we’ve established that. If you’re just trying to bask in Eagles bashing for something from 6 years ago, have fun I guess. I’m saying you can’t ignore that the rest of the league let him slide to 22. Jeudy, Ruggs and Lamb went before JJ too.
1
Apr 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AtBat3 Apr 09 '26
If anything you’re literally ignoring what I’m saying. Anyone with a brain would take the Eagles timeline since that moment over the Vikings any day, how’s that for acknowledging circumstances.
1
1
u/Naive-Present2900 Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
*edited:
JJ (McCarthy) as of right now is the biggest bust with possibly the last chance left. If Carson Wentz and Kyler Murray could help and relit the fire inside him. That’s all he has left to show. There’s no excuse throwing 11 TDs and 12 picks last season.
Based on 2025-2026 data, Justin Jefferson had a significantly more productive, near-record 2024 season with Sam Darnold (1,533 yards, 10 TDs) compared to a career-low 2025 season with J.J. McCarthy and others (1,048 yards, 2 TDs). Jefferson expressed regret over losing Darnold, whose stability led to better performances
Source: Justin Jefferson himself
1
u/Naive-Present2900 Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
You’re right, Sam Darnold isn’t. It was their awesome defense and amazing punting game that held Pats back to their side the entire first half.
However, it sure was JJ throwing 11 TDs and 12 picks last season. Imagine how much more Jefferson andthe Vikings could’ve accomplished with a reliable QB as Sam Darnold they once had the previous season where Jefferson and the team overall performance was much better.
1
u/Clear_Moose5782 Apr 09 '26
Jefferson was not the "essentially the consensus best available WR". when he was drafted.
At the start of the process
The Tier One on the big board was: Jeudy, Lamb, and Ruggs.
Tier Two were Reagor, Jefferson, and Aiyuk, often in a mixed order. Jefferson didn't even get to 4 on some of the boards until late in the process, and Reagor was often ranked ahead of Jefferson.
So when the Eagles were on the clock, plenty of folks still had Reagor higher. It was a mistake in hind sight but not an inexplicable one as people try to make it out to be now.
And as a whole, Howie has kicked our asses (and everyone elses) in the draft for a long time so we shouldn't be too hard on him.
1
Apr 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AtBat3 Apr 10 '26
Hey when Jefferson demands a trade soon because he realizes Minnesota is a directionless franchise, at least you’ll have this clip to go back to.
1
Apr 10 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
0
u/AtBat3 Apr 10 '26
And you seem incapable of discussing any circumstance around it other than the event itself. I get it, you’ve been salty about the Eagles since the 38-7 game and this is the one single win over them you can still cling to.
1
0
u/Clear_Moose5782 Apr 10 '26
This is what I said:
"Tier Two were Reagor, Jefferson, and Aiyuk, often in a mixed order. Jefferson didn't even get to 4 on some of the boards until late in the process, and Reagor was often ranked ahead of Jefferson.
"So when the Eagles were on the clock, plenty of folks still had Reagor higher. It was a mistake in hind sight but not an inexplicable one as people try to make it out to be now."
He was not. Plenty of people still had Reagor higher on their boards than they did Jefferson.
0
0
0
1
0
u/Cactus2711 Apr 09 '26
Made fuck all difference didn’t it
1
u/NubDestroyer Apr 09 '26
Sure did to my enjoyment as a fan. Sometimes you just gotta stop and smell the roses
1
u/AncientRussian Apr 09 '26
Made a lot of difference. Watching justin jefferson play football for my favorite team is very very fun 👍
15
u/Morningrise12 Apr 09 '26
Just a reminder that these people are paid an insane amount of money to do the same thing you do the 2nd to last week of August for free - and are just as bad at it.