PHP's "Pre-Draft" Mock Offseason

[Pondering Her Percy]

I know a lot of you guys enjoy these so I decided to post one last one. It took me a while to figure which route I wanted to go but I think I have it figured out now. Hope you guys enjoy!

2014 Free Agent Rankings

1.) NT- Linval Joseph
2.) CB- Captain Munnerlyn
3.) DE- Corey Wootton
4.) CB- Derek Cox
5.) LB- Jasper Brinkley
6.) S- Kurt Coleman
7.) OG- Vladimir Ducasse
8.) DT- Tom Johnson
9.) WR- Lestar Jean
10.) TE- Allen Reisner
11.) LB- Simoni Lawrence
12.) DT- Kheeston Randall
13.) LB- Terrell Manning



2014 Minnesota Vikings Draft Picks

TRADE: The Minnesota Vikings trade away their 1st round pick (8th) to the Pittsburgh Steelers for their 1st round pick (15th) and 2nd round pick (46th)


• Round 1:

o (via PIT) LB, CJ Mosely- Alabama

-The buzz going around the league is that the Vikings want a LB at 8. I would prefer Mack but I think he will be gone at this point so in turn, we trade down and take Mosely. Mosely is a very versatile LB that can come in a play any of the 3 LB positions. He will be an immediate day 1 starter.




• Round 2:

o QB, Zach Mettenberger- LSU

-The Vikings have been pretty high on Mettenberger for a while now. He ran a very similar offense as Turner's at LSU under Cam Cameron and fits the mold of Turner. He has gradually starter to grow on me and I definitely believe that he has the potential to be the QB of the future for us.




o (via PIT) SS, Deone Bucannon- Washington St.

-With us racking up draft picks, we can definitely afford to take a safety early in the draft to pair up with Harrison Smith. Bucannon is an absolute ball hawk and is fierce against the run. He should have no problem taking over Sanford's duties




• Round 3:

o CB, Stanley Jean-Baptiste- Nebraska

-As you guys can see, Jean-Baptiste is one of my favorite prospects in this draft. The size, speed and ball skills that he possesses really impress me. I think he will compete on the outside Week 1 and eventually take over as a starter opposite Rhodes and with Munnerlyn in the slot.




o (via SEA) DE, Jackson Jeffcoat- Texas

-Jeffcoat has been a beast on the edge for Texas. He's a fiery, athletic DE that is very explosive off the ball. I see a lot of Everson Griffen in him when Griffen was coming out of USC. I can see us using him similar to how we used Griffen the past few years.




• Round 4:

o RB, Ka'Deem Carey- Arizona

-Carey is a very shifty back that is not only good running the ball but as a receiver as well. He would be an immediate backup to AP and fill Turner's "Darren Sproles" role on offense.




• Round 5:

o OG, Trai Turner- LSU

-We bring some familiarity in for our Quarterback. Turner had a solid season for LSU and has played both LG and RG. He is a player that could challenge Baca/Johnson for the starting LG spot.




• Round 6:

o WR, Jalen Saunders- Oklahoma

-Granted, WR isn't a huge need for us but I still think we look at a WR late in this draft. Saunders will provide solid depth in the slot behind Jennings. I like Wright all over the field rather than a certain position. Wright can play the slot or even be a deep threat.




• Round 7:

o OT, Cornelius Lucas- Kansas St.

-Lucas is a massive human being that has a mean streak to him. His wingspan helps him win a lot of battles on the outside. He will provide depth behind Kalil and Loadholt.






2014 Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart
White= Returning Players
Yellow= Free Agents Signed
Red=Rookies Drafted

OFFENSE
QB- Mettenberger, Cassel, Ponder
RB- Peterson, Carey, Asiata, Banyard, Randle
FB- Felton, Line, Ellison/Asiata
WR X- Patterson, Simpson, Smith
WR Y- Jennings, Saunders, Thielen
WR Z- Wright, Jean, Jorden
TE- Rudolph, Ford, Ellison, Reisner
LT- Kalil, Murphy
LG- Turner, Johnson
C- Sullivan, Berger
RG- Fusco, Baca, Ducasse
RT- Loadholt, Lucas, Remmers

DEFENSE
DE- Robison, Jeffcoat, Trattou
DE- Griffen, Wooton, Nealy
DT (3-tech)- Floyd, Johnson, Baker
NT (1-tech)- Joseph, Evans, Randall
SLB- Mosely, Lawrence, Dean
MLB- Cole/Mauti, Brinkley
WLB- Greenway, Hodges, Manning
CB- Rhodes, Prater, Steeples
CB- Jean-Baptiste / Cox, Edwards
NCB- Munnerlyn, Robinson, Sherels
FS- Smith, Sendejo/Raymond, Bishop
SS- Bucannon, Sanford/Coleman, Blanton

SPECIAL TEAMS
K- Walsh
P- Locke
LS- Loeffler
H- Locke
KR- Patterson, Sherels
PR- Sherels, Patterson

[Bigwehrm]

I like it but mettenberger would not be starting over cassel until, late in the year if at all. Mettenburger needs a year to sit and learn and get healed 100%. But i do like him in rd2or 3

[Loki]

Love every single pick in this..... except Mettenberger. Which is a HUGE miss as far as I'm concerned. I've watched a lot of tape on him and he does have a cannon arm and would be a good project, but he's definitely enough of a project that he shouldn't be taken until our late 3rd round pick. I think we have a lot of the same players rated at the same spots though and I would be pumped about this draft regardless of Mettenberger, but that would be a pretty big blemish on it for me.

[Purple bruise]

Love every single pick in this..... except Mettenberger. Which is a HUGE miss as far as I'm concerned. I've watched a lot of tape on him and he does have a cannon arm and would be a good project, but he's definitely enough of a project that he shouldn't be taken until our late 3rd round pick. I think we have a lot of the same players rated at the same spots though and I would be pumped about this draft regardless of Mettenberger, but that would be a pretty big blemish on it for me.

I like the picks BUT if they wait till the third, Vikes have the 8th pick in the third (69th) Murray or Mettenberger might still be there and I prefer Murray. "For a prospect who was a four-year SEC starting quarterback and holds numerous school and conference passing records, Georgia's Aaron Murray still has a lot to prove. And on Wednesday at the school's on-campus pro day, he checked a lot of boxes for NFL scouts, most importantly throwing well with his surgically repaired knee.
Murray completed 48 of 54 passes outside on the Bulldogs' practice fields, showing he could throw the entire route tree and that the knee injury wasn't a concern. He suffered a torn ACL in his left knee last November and rehabbed vigorously to be walking without crutches by the NFL combine and looked natural in his movements on Wednesday -- a remarkable recovery in less than five months." From NFLDRAFTSCOUT.com

[Slick Rick]

I know a lot of you guys enjoy these so I decided to post one last one. It took me a while to figure which route I wanted to go but I think I have it figured out now. Hope you guys enjoy!

2014 Free Agent Rankings

1.) NT- Linval Joseph
2.) CB- Captain Munnerlyn
3.) DE- Corey Wootton
4.) CB- Derek Cox
5.) LB- Jasper Brinkley
6.) S- Kurt Coleman
7.) OG- Vladimir Ducasse
8.) DT- Tom Johnson
9.) WR- Lestar Jean
10.) TE- Allen Reisner
11.) LB- Simoni Lawrence
12.) DT- Kheeston Randall
13.) LB- Terrell Manning



2014 Minnesota Vikings Draft Picks

TRADE: The Minnesota Vikings trade away their 1st round pick (8th) to the Pittsburgh Steelers for their 1st round pick (15th) and 2nd round pick (46th)


• Round 1:

o (via PIT) LB, CJ Mosely- Alabama

-The buzz going around the league is that the Vikings want a LB at 8. I would prefer Mack but I think he will be gone at this point so in turn, we trade down and take Mosely. Mosely is a very versatile LB that can come in a play any of the 3 LB positions. He will be an immediate day 1 starter.




• Round 2:

o QB, Zach Mettenberger- LSU

-The Vikings have been pretty high on Mettenberger for a while now. He ran a very similar offense as Turner's at LSU under Cam Cameron and fits the mold of Turner. He has gradually starter to grow on me and I definitely believe that he has the potential to be the QB of the future for us.




o (via PIT) SS, Deone Bucannon- Washington St.

-With us racking up draft picks, we can definitely afford to take a safety early in the draft to pair up with Harrison Smith. Bucannon is an absolute ball hawk and is fierce against the run. He should have no problem taking over Sanford's duties




• Round 3:

o CB, Stanley Jean-Baptiste- Nebraska

-As you guys can see, Jean-Baptiste is one of my favorite prospects in this draft. The size, speed and ball skills that he possesses really impress me. I think he will compete on the outside Week 1 and eventually take over as a starter opposite Rhodes and with Munnerlyn in the slot.




o (via SEA) DE, Jackson Jeffcoat- Texas

-Jeffcoat has been a beast on the edge for Texas. He's a fiery, athletic DE that is very explosive off the ball. I see a lot of Everson Griffen in him when Griffen was coming out of USC. I can see us using him similar to how we used Griffen the past few years.




• Round 4:

o RB, Ka'Deem Carey- Arizona

-Carey is a very shifty back that is not only good running the ball but as a receiver as well. He would be an immediate backup to AP and fill Turner's "Darren Sproles" role on offense.




• Round 5:

o OG, Trai Turner- LSU

-We bring some familiarity in for our Quarterback. Turner had a solid season for LSU and has played both LG and RG. He is a player that could challenge Baca/Johnson for the starting LG spot.




• Round 6:

o WR, Jalen Saunders- Oklahoma

-Granted, WR isn't a huge need for us but I still think we look at a WR late in this draft. Saunders will provide solid depth in the slot behind Jennings. I like Wright all over the field rather than a certain position. Wright can play the slot or even be a deep threat.




• Round 7:

o OT, Cornelius Lucas- Kansas St.

-Lucas is a massive human being that has a mean streak to him. His wingspan helps him win a lot of battles on the outside. He will provide depth behind Kalil and Loadholt.






2014 Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart
White= Returning Players
Yellow= Free Agents Signed
Red=Rookies Drafted

OFFENSE
QB- Mettenberger, Cassel, Ponder
RB- Peterson, Carey, Asiata, Banyard, Randle
FB- Felton, Line, Ellison/Asiata
WR X- Patterson, Simpson, Smith
WR Y- Jennings, Saunders, Thielen
WR Z- Wright, Jean, Jorden
TE- Rudolph, Ford, Ellison, Reisner
LT- Kalil, Murphy
LG- Turner, Johnson
C- Sullivan, Berger
RG- Fusco, Baca, Ducasse
RT- Loadholt, Lucas, Remmers

DEFENSE
DE- Robison, Jeffcoat, Trattou
DE- Griffen, Wooton, Nealy
DT (3-tech)- Floyd, Johnson, Baker
NT (1-tech)- Joseph, Evans, Randall
SLB- Mosely, Lawrence, Dean
MLB- Cole/Mauti, Brinkley
WLB- Greenway, Hodges, Manning
CB- Rhodes, Prater, Steeples
CB- Jean-Baptiste / Cox, Edwards
NCB- Munnerlyn, Robinson, Sherels
FS- Smith, Sendejo/Raymond, Bishop
SS- Bucannon, Sanford/Coleman, Blanton

SPECIAL TEAMS
K- Walsh
P- Locke
LS- Loeffler
H- Locke
KR- Patterson, Sherels
PR- Sherels, Patterson

If there was a "like" button, I would use it right now. Great post.

I personally think I'd rather have an OLB, like Anthony Barr for what Zimmer usually does. This guy is huge, and has plenty of frame left to fill out, and I wonder if he could be had at #18. I think the Jets would be willing to part with 3 picks (Maybe 1st, 2nd and 4th) to move up to #8 if there was a receiver like Evans or Watkins available, bringing us to 10 like Spielman had said he wanted in the beginning. Barr just seems like a damn good player already, and I think he'd be a perfect fit at OLB. Unless Mack is still around, I like Barr a lot.

If it's true that we're also interested in Preston Brown, I think that it would be extremely difficult for teams to run against us.

I'd take Mettenberger at 40 as well, but I don't know if he'll make it past Houston at 33. I like all of the picks though.

[S197]

I know a lot of mocks have Pittsburgh as a likely trade partner but I just don't see it, they have a lot of holes to be giving up picks.

[Texas Vike]

Nice Mock, PHP.

I especially like the trade back out of 8 and your rounds 2-5 or so. Jeffcoat, for example, would be a great pick there. You can also imagine, from your mock, Zimmer putting his stamp on this D. We'd have a significantly different look on that side of the ball.

[losperros]

Once again a nice job, PHP. I just love these posts by you.

Quite honestly, I would be pleased if we got the draft picks that you predict. Two SEC studs like Mosely and Mettenberger within the first two rounds would be impressive.

One pick that I really like your thinking about is Ka'Deem Carey. He would be a heck of a back up and change of pace RB behind AD. Carey can cause his own kind of damage to opposing defenses. He also can play as a 3rd down back when needed.

[Pondering Her Percy]

It's not gonna cost Pittsburgh a 2nd round pick to move up 7 spots. Maybe a 3rd and a couple late round throw ins.

You're moving into the top 10 of the draft and its a 7 spot difference. If you are the Steelers and want to move up that far....you have to pay a price. I think it would definitely warrant a 2nd

[AP_AD28]

http://www.drafttek.com/NFL-Trade-Value-Chart.asp

These value charts are typically pretty accurate, and it says that the Vikings pick at 8 is worth 1400.

The Steelers picks are 1050 (15), 440 (46), 112 (97), and 58 (118)

Pick 15 and 46 total 1490 which isnt way over the top, and seems legitimate for a player that they could have their eye on, however I dont know who that player would be. They have desperate need at corner and should have a plethora to choose from at 15.

[Purple bruise]

This is my favorite outcome, which came from the author using the Walterfootball big board:

1ST TRADE - 1.8 TO THE RAMS FOR 1.13 & 3.11
2ND TRADE - 2015 1ST TO THE 49ERS FOR 1.30 & 7.27
3RD TRADE - 3.8 & 4.8 TO THE PATRIOTS FOR 2.30 & 6.22
4TH TRADE - 3.32 TO THE BILLS FOR 4.9 & 5.9
5TH TRADE - 5.8 & 7.8 TO THE BRONCOS FOR 4.31 & 7.31
1.13 (13) JOHNNY MANZIEL QB TEXAS A&M RSO 6-0 207
1.30 (30) C.J. MOSLEY ILB ALABAMA SR 6-2 234
2.8 (40) RYAN SHAZIER OLB OHIO STATE JR 6-1 237
2.30 (62) TRENT MURPHY DE STANFORD RSR 6-5 250
3.11 (75) DEONE BUCANNON SS WASHINGTON STATE SR 6-1 211
4.9 (109) JAWUAN JAMES OT TENNESSEE SR 6-6 311
4.31 (131) WILL SUTTON DT ARIZONA STATE RSR 6-1 303
5.9 (149) ANTONE EXUM CB VIRGINIA TECH RSR 6-0 213
6.8 (184) TRAI TURNER OG LSU RSO 6-3 310
6.22 (198) JOSH HUFF WR OREGON SR 5-11 206
7.27 (242) ISAIAH CROWELL RB ALABAMA STATE JR 5-11 224
7.31 (246) BROCK VEREEN SS MINNESOTA SR 6-0 199

[Pondering Her Percy]

http://www.drafttek.com/NFL-Trade-Value-Chart.asp

These value charts are typically pretty accurate, and it says that the Vikings pick at 8 is worth 1400.

The Steelers picks are 1050 (15), 440 (46), 112 (97), and 58 (118)

Pick 15 and 46 total 1490 which isnt way over the top, and seems legitimate for a player that they could have their eye on, however I dont know who that player would be. They have desperate need at corner and should have a plethora to choose from at 15.

Yes, I think it would be a pretty fair trade. Also, Pitt is rumored to be on the hunt for Dennard and if Gilbert flies off the board, Pitt could get desperate

[Eli]

Yes, I think it would be a pretty fair trade. Also, Pitt is rumored to be on the hunt for Dennard and if Gilbert flies off the board, Pitt could get desperate

Fair for the Vikings, probably less so for the Steelers, and why he questions whether they'd trade that much to move from 15 to 8. Some interesting articles have been written in recent years questioning the widely quoted Jimmy Johnson draft value chart. Most analyses show that the chart overvalues early round picks and greatly undervalues later round picks.

[AP_AD28]

Most analyses show that the chart overvalues early round picks and greatly undervalues later round picks

I completely agree with that. For the team trading up, however, the player that they are targeting could have a much higher value than the pick itself. If they think theyre trading up for a Revis type talent, then that pick tacks on much higher value. It really is up to the team thats trading up and how much they want to overpay for their guy.

[PurpleKoolaid]

I like this mock. If it went exactly like this I would be so happy. But then I am really big on Mosely, Mett and Carey. I also love then Linemen. I didn't know anyone else was that high on Mosely, whether we have to trade down. Im also hoping they pull the trigger if Teddy is there at 8.