In this story:
When the Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Sam Darnold, there wasn't a lot of fan fare with it. He was viewed solely as a stop-gap bridge quarterback for whenever they deemed rookie J.J. McCarthy ready to play.
The third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft was one of the youngest players draft that year at age 20 and was viewed as a player who had immense talent but needed time to develop. Spending most of this time with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, neither team was in a position to help him grow and develop like he needed.
After spending a year as a backup in San Francisco, Darnold is making a major impact for the Vikings.
Sam Darnold's start puts him in elite company
The Vikings' 4-0 start has been spearheaded by Darnold's success on offense. He leads the league in multiple categories, including passing touchdowns with 11 on the season. He also has put himself in elite company having become the sixth passer to start a season with two touchdown passes and a passer rating of at least 105 in each of the first four games.
A stat like that is something that doesn't necessarily mean a whole lot, but it does when you are in a group with multiple MVPs and future Hall of Famers. Darnold's first four games in a Vikings uniform have been nothing short of stellar and it has real potential to get better.
With the Vikings' schedule projected to get easier, Darnold's production could also get more productive.
