Draft in April

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Eli
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Re: Draft in April

Post by Eli »

HardcoreVikesFan wrote:Oh boy oh boy. Everson Griffen AND Tank Carradine? Damn. That would be pretty scary.
You're getting more excited for two guys who've never started at DE in the NFL than for Jared Allen and Brian Robison?
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Re: Draft in April

Post by dead_poet »

Vikings GM Rick Spielman intrigued w trading down from 23 or 25. Does not see likelihood of trading up.
Spielman says lot of interest from teams in 23/25. "The phone has been … the most active it’s been in awhile because of where we’re picking"
Spielman says #Vikings put in more time than ever with two 1st-round picks, still had coaches out doing workouts late last week.
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Eli
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Re: Draft in April

Post by Eli »

Rick Spielman,
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Re: Draft in April

Post by dead_poet »

ESPN Blogger Mock: http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/ ... mock-draft

Kevin Seifert has us picking Sylvester Williams and DJ Hayden.
23 and 25. Minnesota Vikings

My picks: North Carolina defensive tackle Sylvester Williams, Houston cornerback D.J. Hayden

Final decision: Between Williams, Hayden, Cal receiver Keenan Allen, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o

Process and reasoning: I really do think that Vikings general manager Rick Spielman has genuine interest in Te'o and wants to draft him. In looking back on this mock, I just got too greedy and sneaky for my own good.

I had enough ammunition to move up, but for whom? Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson went way too high (No. 8 to the Buffalo Bills), and West Virginia's Tavon Austin was gone at No. 13. Is Austin worth even an extra second-round pick to the Vikings? I couldn't do it.

Ogletree plays a position of need, but I felt sketchy about giving up extra draft choices for a player with multiple off-field flags in the past year.

So my plan was to grab two really good non-middle linebackers and then cross my fingers that someone, perhaps even Te'o, would be available in the second round, where Spielman could work some trade magic and grab one. It almost worked. Te'o made it to No. 32, where the Baltimore Ravens drafted him just after learning that Rolando McClain had been arrested once again.

Media analysis is split on whether Te'o is significantly better than the next tier of middle linebackers, and most people think the Vikings are most interested in him. So if the Vikings passed, I thought there was a chance he would tumble. In the end, that's why I passed him over even though I'm not sure Spielman will.

As for receiver, I had my eyes on Tennessee's Justin Hunter, but he went one slot ahead at No. 22. So I went with Williams, who could be a long-term replacement for Kevin Williams, and Hayden. I had a small chance to trade down, but the best offer I got to move from No. 25 to the top of the second round at No. 35 was an additional fifth-round pick. Not good enough. The cornerback class drops off after the first round, and Washington's Desmond Trufant was already off the board. In this scenario, the Vikings would be in position to maneuver in the second round for a receiver. Among those who are left is Clemson's DeAndre Hopkins.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/tag/_ ... loggermock
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Eli
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Re: Draft in April

Post by Eli »

Manti Te'o is all over the board. Does Seifert really think there's a chance he could fall to the late 2nd round? That would be a shock. If the Vikings take two defenders in the 1st round, the 2nd round pick is guaranteed to be a receiver, no matter who's left on the board.
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Re: Draft in April

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According to NFL.com's Albert Breer, "some" teams view the Rams' No. 22 pick as a "potential landing place" for clubs that want to move up and draft a quarterback in the back half of round one.

Our tentative expectation is West Virginia's Geno Smith, USC's Matt Barkley, Florida State's E.J. Manuel, and NC State's Mike Glennon will still all be on the board at the 22nd pick. The Rams will likely use their earlier first-rounder (No. 16) on a wide receiver or perhaps safety, but the 22nd pick may very well be for sale. Clubs potentially interested in a deal like this might include the Jaguars, Eagles, Cardinals, Jets, and Bills.
Source: NFL.com
http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/0ap10000 ... reate-buzz

---
It's interesting, but you gotta think Minnesota is better poised with 23 and 25 being (theoretically) "cheaper" than 22. Let's hope for a run on QBs. Not only would this mean more potential trade compensation, but also possibility of better players at other positions being available.

Is it Thursday yet?
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Demi
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Re: Draft in April

Post by Demi »

Maybe they're worried the Vikes will be targetting a QB with one of them. :twisted:
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Re: Draft in April

Post by CaptainKirov »

I thought spielman was super quiet this year. Time for some last minute smoke and mirrors after reports of wanting to both trade back and trade up.
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Eli
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Re: Draft in April

Post by Eli »

Why would anyone want to "land" at #22 to take a QB when the next picks are

#23 Vikings
#24 Colts
#25 Vikings
#26 Packers

none of whom will be picking a QB? Nor will Texas, Denver or New England. In fact, it doesn't look like anyone in the bottom half of the first round is likely to target a QB.
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Re: Draft in April

Post by mondry »

Eli wrote:Why would anyone want to "land" at #22 to take a QB when the next picks are

#23 Vikings
#24 Colts
#25 Vikings
#26 Packers

none of whom will be picking a QB? Nor will Texas, Denver or New England. In fact, it doesn't look like anyone in the bottom half of the first round is likely to target a QB.
The short answer is, because other QB needy teams can also trade up.
Rus
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Re: Draft in April

Post by Rus »

Eli wrote: You're getting more excited for two guys who've never started at DE in the NFL than for Jared Allen and Brian Robison?
Aside from the overexcitement, Jared Allen is in a contract year (as is Robison). Couldn't hurt if you end up taking a DE in that situation. If you take contract status into account, the Vikes have a pretty broad range of needs.
-Rus
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Re: Draft in April

Post by Rus »

Considering how many young quarterbacks there are around the league right now, my gut tells me that a lot of GMs will give their young, struggling guy another year to improve their game.

This is one of those years where the only teams that are really needy for a quarterback (because their old one retired or moved on) have either spent way too much trading for their new guy, or they figure that they're better off taking a guy later. You have Blaine Gabbert, then think about Mike Glennon, and you can't help but think that's just a equal ratio of talent. Put Geno Smith up against Sam Bradford or Ryan Mallett, it's almost the same story. I can probably see the Browns taking one of those guys high though. Weeden seems pretty much like a flop to me, and the guy's 29. They'd have to start developing another quarterback sooner or later anyway.
-Rus
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Re: Draft in April

Post by dead_poet »

Evan Silva's final two-round mock: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/4 ... mock-draft

23: Patterson
25: Te'o
52: Sylvester Williams
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dead_poet
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Re: Draft in April

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Dude I like following on Twitter @NFLphilosophy mock:

http://nflphilosophy.com/2013-nfl-philo ... ock-draft/

23: Hopkins
25: Sharrif Floyd
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PurpleKoolaid
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Re: Draft in April

Post by PurpleKoolaid »

Floyd wont last past 15. Would be awesome though.
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