How happy are you with this draft?

[PacificNorseWest]

Probably. The good news is that the next two rounds will probably see runs on RB, QB, and WR, which would should leave the best of the rest for the OL and LB groups.

[mansquatch]

I think OL is going to get picked fairly clean after the run in the 1st round. Agree on QB/RB catching steam. Problem is there are many picks between now and our next one. Won't take much for the MLB to be gone. WHo knows though?

[Pepper2Moss]

I'm pretty stoked about it after looking back. Our d-line is stacked. We've got a pair of big physical corners to go along with an improving group of safeties. Our only hole in the defense is at linebacker which hopefully can still be addressed. Patterson does a lot of the same stuff as Harvin, and Jenninga can hopefully aid in the development of Ponder & the young receiving core. The o-line is intact from last year along with the MVP & his pro bowl mauling fullback to clear out some space. Overall, if solid depth is added in the later rounds, and a decent starting MLB is added, I think the Vikings are definitely in a position to improve upon last years breakout season.

[mondry]

Alright, I've had more time to look at some film and highlights for Floyd and Rhodes and re watched all the Patterson stuff. Floyd I am incredibly pleased with at #23, that has the potential to be the steal of the draft. Florida did all kinds of different things and moved this kid around a bit, that's not really his strength, which is focusing on 1 gap 3 technique up the field and go. He's very active and the scary thing about it is he is slightly "raw" in the sense that as good as he is, he may even get a lot better! I think the slide mostly had to do with what I just talked about, in that the scouts didn't like him as a 3-4 DE and it just so happened a lot of the teams at the front are 3-4 teams. It's surprising to me the Bears passed on him, I know they really need O-lineman help but I think they made a big mistake. Playing with Kwill for a year just makes this the perfect situation for Floyd to land in.

As for Rhodes, I'm a little less impressed with this pick. He doesn't match our scheme / system overall. That's okay, they can always change things up and adapt around the personnel, Cook can also play press / man so overall it's a minor concern. After that, the guy is a decent player but again falls into the physical hype category for me. He's 6'1, 210 with a 4.4 forty which is outstanding so a lot of upside there. I have to remind myself that these guys will develop and these are picks that are still decent picks, but also have high ceilings, a common theme here.

I am coming around to Patterson, at first I thought we gave up a ton for him. I still think we over paid, and I guess a little bit of me hoped we might try to get Hopkins and have a real NFL passing game with guys running 10-25 yard routes and seeing what Ponder has. Instead it's going to be a continuation of the Percy Harvin Offense. Wait, didn't I say I was coming around to the pick? Haha okay let me explain, as a prospect Patterson is huge and being able to dust off the Percy Harvin playbook for him will help a lot in his development. In that sense, if he can be 85% of what Harvin did year 1, I really like the pick. That includes being a huge return man and dominating the short passing game with the ball in his hands. I think he can do that effectively and the HUGE bonus with Patterson is oh yeah btw he's 6'2 and 216 pounds which physically means he blows Harvin out of the water. After watching more film on him, I'm not as concerned with his catching or route running, though they're still big factors, admittedly I was probably hating on the guy because of personal want for Hopkins. All in all I think we have experience manufacturing touches and that will be a big benefit for Patterson early on. We basically replaced Harvin with a guy who will be very similar in the beginning, but ALSO has the prototypical #1 WR size so yes we gave up a lot for him, but if you think Harvin got us a 1st, 3rd, and whatever else (I can't remember atm) the seahawks still paid MORE for Harvin and I think I might just want Patterson more given the price and situation!!!

So pretty happy so far, leaning towards "we kicked serious ####" but not voting yet as there is still some drafting to be had and perhaps moves to be made!

[mosscarter]

mondry: condense your posts, only about 15 percent of that was actually worth reading.

[Eli]

Instead it's going to be a continuation of the Percy Harvin Offense.

To be fair, it was the Percy Harvin/Christian Ponder offense. Harvin wasn't the only reason the Vikings spent half the season throwing 1 yard passes.

[Cliff]

mondry: condense your posts, only about 15 percent of that was actually worth reading.

Condense your attitude, it's less than 1% worth reading.

[Dames]

Condense your attitude, it's less than 1% worth reading.

[S197]

I'll vote when the draft is done, we still have two more days. I think the late picks are where you really earn your salary as a GM/personnel guy. Lets not write-off those mid-round picks just yet, Spielman has found good value in these rounds. Guys like Robison, Griffen and Sullivan.

The other thing worth mentioning is how quickly the youth movement Spielman is pushing has come to fruition. Floyd and Rhodes replace (or will replace) the aging Williams and Winfield, respectively. I honestly can't tell you who is the oldest guy on the team anymore. After KWill, is it Jared Allen? The team just got a big injection of youth and talent, it's hard to see that as a negative in the long run.

[Eli]

The other thing worth mentioning is how quickly the youth movement Spielman is pushing has come to fruition. Floyd and Rhodes replace (or will replace) the aging Williams and Winfield, respectively. I honestly can't tell you who is the oldest guy on the team anymore. After KWill, is it Jared Allen? The team just got a big injection of youth and talent, it's hard to see that as a negative in the long run.

Players who'll be over 30 this season:

Code: Select all

   Player             Pos   DOB       Age (4/26)
-- -----------------  ----  --------  ----------
 1 Williams, Kevin    DT    08/16/80    32.69
 2 Loeffler, Cullen   LS    01/27/81    32.24
 3 Kluwe, Chris       P     12/24/81    31.34
 4 Allen, Jared       DE    04/03/82    31.06
 5 Cassel, Matt       QB    05/17/82    30.94
 6 Berger, Joe        C/G   05/25/82    30.92
 7 Greenway, Chad     LB    01/12/83    30.29
 8 Robison, Brian     DE    04/23/83    30.01
 9 Jennings, Greg     WR    09/21/83    29.60
10 Evans, Fred        DT    11/06/83    29.47

[S197]

Thanks Eli.

So it basically is Allen (age for a LS and P are obviously not as big a factor at those positions). Another added bonus of the 1st rounders is that extra contract year. It will be interesting to see what the Vikings do at DE now given Allen's age, salary, and the ending contracts of Robison and Griffen.

[FailedtoOpen]

Honestly happy should be replaced with excited. It's hard to be happy over a pick that hasn't done a thing for the team. That aside I'm excited to see what these new additions add to the team and where they take it.

[Purple Domination]

mondry: condense your posts, only about 15 percent of that was actually worth reading.

I disagree. I enjoy Mondry's posts and find them well thought out and interesting. If you don't want to read a couple of paragraphs, then don't, no one is making you.

[mondry]

I disagree. I enjoy Mondry's posts and find them well thought out and interesting. If you don't want to read a couple of paragraphs, then don't, no one is making you.

hah, thanks for the support!

[Eli]

mondry is the ####. I enjoy his posts and his insight. Well worth reading.