Vikings tried to jump Giants to draft Malik Nabers in 2024? | Sporting News

Both the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings were reportedly active as two teams trying to move up in the 2024 NFL Draft.

While most of those reports surrounded the idea of trading up to No. 3 for quarterback Drake Maye, there was another trade scenario with both teams at the heart of it.

After missing out on Maye, the Vikings reportedly tried to trade up to No. 5 with the Los Angeles Chargers to draft star wide receiver Malik Nabers. Doing so meant they had to jump the Giants, who took him at No. 6.

This was reported by Charley Walters of Twin Cities Pioneer Press following the draft.

There was buzz at draft time that the Vikings wanted to move from No. 11 to No. 5, not to pick a quarterback but to get LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, who was picked No. 6 by the Giants. Had that trade occurred, Jefferson would have been traded and Nabers would have been the No. 1 receiver.

On top of that, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk reiterated the report that the Vikings had an eye for Nabers, and they knew they would have to jump the Giants in the draft order to get him.

At No. 5, the Chargers, when they took Joe Alt, they passed on an opportunity to trade out of that spot. The team that wanted to move up to that spot, I’m told, the Minnesota Vikings — and not to take J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings, I’m told, were trying to move up to No. 5 to get Malik Nabers.

The Chargers didn’t allow this to happen, though. First-year general manager Joe Hortiz and new head coach Jim Harbaugh opted to stay put and add Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt.

The Giants then, were free to take one of the most electric wide receivers in the draft. The Vikings then had to wait to move up to No. 10 to draft quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

For more Giants coverage, check out Kevin Hickey’s work on Sporting News.