Who should the Vikes draft?

[PurpleFloyd]

Teams alter the outcomes of games all the time. How many times has a team "Rested" it's starters at the end of the year? They are doing it so that a star player doesn't get hurt prior to a playoff run. It isn't logically any different to rest a starter so they don't blow out their knee in a meaningless game that jeopardizes their off season.Had we rested our starters and played the second teamers to "Evaluate their potential" the reserves would have tried as hard as they could and still would have lost and got us that spot.

[FISHINGURU]

Whoomp! (There It Is)

[LABS4ME]

Get ready for Claibourne... Little Ricky is quoted in the St. Paul paper that you don't need Pro-bowl caliber tackles for the O-line... he has always been in love with Claibourne and it sure sounds like that is where he is leaning... I just don't give him enough credit for being smart enough to just be deceptive on this. Remember how everyone wanted a "GM"? I hope this isn't what everyone wanted...

Good Luck Christian... hope you paid up your disability insurance! But at least the secondary may have a couple of INTs this year... my guess is they will be on the field enough for plenty of opportunities!

Good Luck!

Ken

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

LABS- I wouldnt worry too much... Spielman puts up more smoke screens then a tribe of indians passing the peace pipe around the campfire. I dont really believe anything he says in any of his interviews. Hes just trying to make other teams believe we dont want Kalil so they offer us another kings ransom to trade up for Blackmon or Claiborne IMO.

Besides, I have a hard time believing Matt Kalil is the ONLY good tackle or lineman in this draft. Even if we take someone other then him(which i doubt we will do) there will be other players who can help improve this offensive line later in the draft.

[LABS4ME]

Yiggin...

I'm not worried... not a Vikes fan! I hope he picks a punter with his first pick!

You give him waaaaaaaaaaay more credit than I would as far as putting on a good act, I really think he's in over his head. I find it hard to believe that another team is going to offer much of anything to move up to #3 at this point. Is the value of such a potential trade going to offset probably moving out of the top 5?

I agree there are ALWAYS good O-Line in late rounds of the draft, but rarely does one with a pedigree and the outstanding attibutes of Kalil come along. I know it's not a sexy pick, but it's a no brainer. there is no such thing as a guaranteed pick, but I'd take him anyday if he was still on the board. Ponder needs it, the running backs need it and the recievers need it to happen. He's courting Schwartz when he can draft Kalil. hmmmmmmm...

Good luck!

Ken

[Scott K]

We need to just draft the best player on the board, if that is OL, DL, OLB, DB, or even QB, we need to take him. This team has so many holes, and other then a couple positions, nobodys job should be secure.

[collegepaul]

"I wasn’t around these parts during the 2007 draft, but I’ve heard the story a few times.

The Vikings entered that year’s draft with running back Chester Taylor locked into a long-term contract the year before. If the Vikings were basing their draft decision on filling a position, they wouldn’t have chosen Adrian Peterson seventh overall. They went with the best player available: Find the talent, make it fit later."

-http://blogs.twincities.com/vikings/2012/03/20/vikings-in-search-of-best-available-player-at-no-3-overall/

There's more to the article but I think it sums up the Vikings draft approach pretty good.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Yiggin...

I'm not worried... not a Vikes fan! I hope he picks a punter with his first pick!

You give him waaaaaaaaaaay more credit than I would as far as putting on a good act, I really think he's in over his head.

I dont give spielman much credit at all... But I know everytime i listen to him talk he basically says nothing. Thats all im saying. I think hes in over his head too... He wasnt very good when he was in miami and he's hasnt done much too impress me here outside of a couple of 1st rd. picks and trading for jared allen.

We'll see what he comes up with this year- all the pressures on him now

[zepman]

IMPACT players are missing from the Vikings roster:

On defense...MLB (or any playmaker at LB) CB, and at least 1 safety. One good playmaking LB and S could turn this whole defense around.

On offense...#1 WR, QB(??), #2 WR.

No way these all get adressed in this years draft. IMO...draft heavy offense this year and help out your young QB. Surround him with the ability to make plays and extend drives. The defense will improve if the offense can just stay on the field longer than 50 seconds.

Give Ponder what he needs...draft Jeffries or the best available WR in the early second. Get Rainey as a 3rd down back in the 4th.

Or...Blackmon in the 1st and the best available LT in the 2nd...either way would be fine with me.

[james_walleye]

I'd love to see them get Marvin McNutt in the 3rd and Ty Streeter in the 4th. I've heard it may be the deepest reciever draft ever. Lots of value and nice recievers in the middle rounds.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

They need a field stretcher to back defenses off the line more then anything on the offensive side IMO. This would help the pourus offensive line out not having to deal with as many blitzers or men in the box too. I hope your right about all the WR's James... Isnt Mcnutt just that, a nutt?? Didnt he have some off the field issues at Iowa if i remember right? But i guess the vikes have done pretty well drafting dope smokers and malcontents in the past....

I dont know if McNutt has the speed to be a field stretcher in the NFL though... I hope the vikes find someone!

[james_walleye]

I didn't think you looked for speed in an NFL reciever......

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Not the only thing i look for, but it helps. Can he go up and get it? Didnt watch him play much at Iowa

[Big Bobber]

Marvin McNutt is a high character guy. The other receiver DJK was the one with alleged drug problems.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

my bad

[thatoneguy]

Todd McShay on Kalil:

Quote:

The most complete tackle I have evaluated in my time scouting prospects, Kalil has the athleticism to excel as a pass-blocker and the mean streak to be a force in the running game.

Scouts Inc. has Kalil graded as the 2nd best player on the board, tied with RG3 and behind only Luck. It's a no-brainer to take him.

Lots of people who are against drafting an o-lineman at #3 have been talking about drafting the best player available instead.

Kalil IS the best player available, and will be wearing purple this fall - and MN will be better for it.

[pikestabber]

Kalil IS the best player available, and will be wearing purple this fall - and MN will be better for it.

Is there a "like" button on here? LIKE! And agree 100%. If they don't take him, it's our loss.

[LABS4ME]

Kalil IS the best player available, and will be wearing purple this fall - and MN will be better for it.

Boy... you have more faith in Spielman and Frazier than I would! It's a no-brainer which would even make me more nervous!

Good Luck!

Ken

[zepman]

They'll trade down...someone will come up and want Tannehill. If they do, they better get a kings ransom for doing it!

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I better just leave well enough alone on this one....

All i can say is if we're taking him at #3 overall he better be a combination Tony Boselli/Flozell Adams in his prime. He has to be the best tackle in vikings history, anything less is a waste

[zepman]

Kahlil in the 1st and Jeffery in the 2nd would be ideal.

Don't think it will happen since Jefferey ran @ 4.4ish today in his pro day.

Take the sure thing in rd 1...take the best playmaker at WR in rd. 2.

[Scott K]

Kahil is their best choice. They need to keep the qb on his feet. Once they shore up the front line, so whover is tossing the ball will have time to make a completion, then worry about having a player that will catch the ball. The best receiver in the world cant catch a ball that wasnt thrown, because the qb is laying on his head 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage. If the qb has time to find an open receiver, an average WR can catch the ball.

Defense will have to be addressed in the later rounds, and maybe spotlight with the early rounds of next years draft for us. We arent going to fix this team in one year, there is no sense trying.

[FISHINGURU]

I'd go pure O-line, I'd build the meanest O-line anyones ever seen.

[goblueM]

I better just leave well enough alone on this one....

All i can say is if we're taking him at #3 overall he better be a combination Tony Boselli/Flozell Adams in his prime. He has to be the best tackle in vikings history, anything less is a waste

by that logic, every player taken by the Vikings in the Top 5 ought to be the best player ever in a Vikings uniform at that position

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

No, not really... Just if you take an offensive lineman with a top 3 pick. A top 3 pick that the vikings have never had since they were an expansion team. What year was that, like 1968?

[Scott K]

No, not really... Just if you take an offensive lineman with a top 3 pick. A top 3 pick that the vikings have never had since they were an expansion team. What year was that, like 1968?

Dont worry, I am pretty sure we will give a good go for that record again for next years draft.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I think thats a safe bet Wandering, especially with all the free agency "blue chippers" spielman is signing and his history of hitting on 2nd-7th rd. draft picks.....

[james_walleye]

No, not really... Just if you take an offensive lineman with a top 3 pick. A top 3 pick that the vikings have never had since they were an expansion team. What year was that, like 1968?

Why just an offensive lineman?? Lol. That makes no sense......

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I view the top 3-5 picks as skill position picks. I know you disagree with that and thats fine. Thats just the way I see it.

So therefore if we take a left tackle at that spot, in my view, he had better be the best the vikes have ever had. Is that unreasonable to view it that way?

[james_walleye]

Well my view is this. Pretty much everything I've read states Kalil is going to be the obvious best player available at #3. If you stray away from that and "take a risk" for lack of a better term with Blackmon for instance......HE better be the next coming of Calvin Johnson or you have messed up.....