2014 Vikings Draft Discussion

[King James]

How many of the projected top 10 picks do we think this coachiing staff likes?

And is there any defensive player worth taking over a 1st rnd QB?

I'd take Khalil Mack over any QB and CJ Moseley over every QB except Bridgewater if he happens to be still available.

[headless_norseman]

I'd take Khalil Mack over any QB and CJ Moseley over every QB except Bridgewater if he happens to be still available.

I really like Mosely but not real high on Bridewater.

I wonder if we're better off drafting someone like Mosely in the first and a 2nd then a day QB, and draft another QB next year.

[King James]

I hoping we'd spend a 2nd or 3rd on a QB.

[dead_poet]

I've been seeing some traction to DE Aaron Lynch and Zimmer being a good fit in later rounds. From what I've seen/read on the guy he has freakish athleticism but attitude/work ethic issues. Sounds like another opportunity to get a Griffen if we can scoop him up in R4 or 5

[HardcoreVikesFan]

I've been seeing some traction to DE Aaron Lynch and Zimmer being a good fit in later rounds. From what I've seen/read on the guy he has freakish athleticism but attitude/work ethic issues. Sounds like another opportunity to get a Griffen if we can scoop him up in R4 or 5

Yeah, that is pretty much the case with Lynch. He really didn't have the best production in college, but Lynch has the athletic ability to be a terror - if he gets the right coaching.


Another player I would like us to try for is Will Sutton. Sutton is another player that has motivation issues. Sutton was a beast in the 2012 NCAA season, but this past season, he was not very good. I think Zimmer could do wonders with Will Sutton.

[Mothman]

Yeah, that is pretty much the case with Lynch. He really didn't have the best production in college, but Lynch has the athletic ability to be a terror - if he gets the right coaching.

Another player I would like us to try for is Will Sutton. Sutton is another player that has motivation issues. Sutton was a beast in the 2012 NCAA season, but this past season, he was not very good. I think Zimmer could do wonders with Will Sutton.

Hmmm... players with motivation issues concern me because I don't see that as a coaching issue. Motivation comes primarily from within. Generally speaking, I think it makes a lot more sense to draft high-motor players and overachievers rather than underachievers with great athletic ability. Zimmer has a reputation as a good coach and motivator but i don't think that means the Vikes should seek out players with questionable work ethics and/or motor that he can nurture into stars.

This quote from the scouting report on Lynch at the CBS site says it all:

It's hard to find an NFL comp for a guy who possesses physical tools that most players would only dream of having, yet doesn't appear to be very motivated to maximize them. The reason it's hard to find a comp for such a player is because most of those guys either never make it, or simply don't last long at the next level.

To be fair, they then go on to compare him to Quinton Coples...

...who, like Lynch, entered the league amidst great skepticism regarding his chances of being an NFL success, due to a lack of consistent interest and effort on tape despite possessing freakish physical tools.

Coples has amassed 10 sacks as a 3-4 end over his first two years in the NFL, and is beginning to show flashes of the player many scouts knew he had the potential to be. Lynch has similar upside, but the team that picks him will certainly be taking a gamble.

By the way, NFL.com posted an article about Sutton just a little while ago:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap200000 ... g-downward

I'm not saying I'm against these guys. I just think it makes more sense to go after a different sort of player.

[S197]

Burfict is a good (and relevant) example of why sometimes it's worthwhile to take a gamble on these guys. You're likely to get burned on at least some of them but when we're talking mid-late rounds, you're bound to get burned on high char guys too. The risk/reward scale tips significantly towards reward in the latter rounds on these types of players.

[headless_norseman]

Caught news on ESPN about the Browns not interviewing any of the 3 top QB's during the combine.

If true, then the odds of one of those three dropping to the Vikes increases that much more.

[mondry]

Burfict is a good (and relevant) example of why sometimes it's worthwhile to take a gamble on these guys. You're likely to get burned on at least some of them but when we're talking mid-late rounds, you're bound to get burned on high char guys too. The risk/reward scale tips significantly towards reward in the latter rounds on these types of players.

Yeah exactly, if it's the 6th or 7th round we're pretty much talking about getting guys who have fallen for a major reason or two. Mauti is a good example, although his reason wasn't character concerns, it was injuries, but it's the same concept. You take Mauti because IF (and it's a big if) his knees get healthy and he can play, he's going to be better than most other 6th or 7th rounders. Same thing with a physically gifted guy who may lack the motor, in the 6th / 7th round, its either that or taking a guy with a decent motor who just has very low potential upside anyway. With that said if the plan is to take them in the 4th round obviously that's more risky, but if they're everson griffen type potential (1st round talent) I don't think it's THAT bad.

I think Zimmer has a way of "convincing" people (nearly similar to a mob gangster!) to "do the right thing" when it comes to football and their career. He scares um a little bit, then earns their respect, and MAKES them want to play for him and give it their all. I'm not saying he'll have a 100% success rate but so far he's made the most out of those kinds of guys.

[Mothman]

Yeah exactly, if it's the 6th or 7th round we're pretty much talking about getting guys who have fallen for a major reason or two. Mauti is a good example, although his reason wasn't character concerns, it was injuries, but it's the same concept. You take Mauti because IF (and it's a big if) his knees get healthy and he can play, he's going to be better than most other 6th or 7th rounders. Same thing with a physically gifted guy who may lack the motor, in the 6th / 7th round, its either that or taking a guy with a decent motor who just has very low potential upside anyway.

I don't think those are the only options. One example: athletes from smaller schools sometimes drop into the later rounds because of the level of competition they've faced but that doesn't necessarily mean they have a low potential upside.

Anyway, there's no need to have many, if any, hard and fast rules about who to draft because for almost any rule, a team will probably eventually find an exception worth considering. My point was just that, generally speaking, it makes sense to steer clear of the underachievers.

[mondry]

My point was just that, generally speaking, it makes sense to steer clear of the underachievers.

Until the risk drops enough to justify the potential reward!

(I know we haven't always seen Eye to Eye on that subject:P)

[PurpleKoolaid]

Now that we have a NT, my whole first pick plan is shot to piece. Unless teddy drops to us, I don't have a clue. Mack is a 3-4 PASS RUSHING LB so he not a good move for us. Watkins wont be there. Evans might. He sure saved JFB's a$$ a lot. Im really at a loss to what Rickie might do. Maybe CB?

[saint33]

Now that we have a NT, my whole first pick plan is shot to piece. Unless teddy drops to us, I don't have a clue. Mack is a 3-4 PASS RUSHING LB so he not a good move for us. Watkins wont be there. Evans might. He sure saved JFB's a$$ a lot. Im really at a loss to what Rickie might do. Maybe CB?

Zimmer's defense can utilize 3-4 rush LBs. They had James Harrison last year and Spielman has mentioned a number of times in interviews that they can now target guys that they never would have considered before and used the 3-4 OLB as an example.

As for our pick, we could go a number of ways. I don't expect Mack or Watkins to be there. Depending on which of the 3 QBs falls to us, we could go in that direction. Mosley or Barr make sense. But ultimately I think they would go QB or take Justin Gilbert

[CbusVikesFan]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1990 ... imson-tide
For those interested in CJ Mosley and others from the Tide Pool.

[PacificNorseWest]

Gilbert! Gilbert! Gilbert!