Brian O'Neill turning heads in camp

[J. Kapp 11]

Read a great article this morning about Brian O'Neill and the improvements he's been making after a surprisingly effective rookie season.

Some highlights ...

1. He's gained some weight, having spent lots of time in the weight room and at the training table. Has especially been working on the legs and core.
2. He's improved his aggression and physicality, according to Mike Zimmer.
3. He battles Danielle Hunter every day in practice and really strives to learn from Hunter.

Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter is his daily test in practice. Those one-on-one battles are some of the most compelling scenes in training camp.

When Hunter wins, O’Neill comes after him with questions.

“That’s something I really like about him,” Hunter said. “Not many times you’ll see O-linemen ask a defensive end what they did wrong.”

When Hunter bull-rushes through O’Neill, he comes back questioning why Hunter chose that move — not just how to defend it. So Hunter says O’Neill’s hands were too far apart, exposing his chest. If O’Neill is beaten with an inside move, Hunter says he leaned on his outside foot. Should O’Neill square up perfectly, Hunter warns he’ll grab and jerk him around to get him to stop his feet.

“You can tell he doesn’t want to get beat how he normally gets beat,” Hunter said. “He wants to get better, so he’ll find a way.”

I love this. You can't ask more from a talented young player than to recognize where he needs to improve and to make his best effort at accomplishing that improvement. Something about this kid makes me think he'll end up being special.

Read the full article.

[CharVike]

He was a great pick. To come in and start at RT as a rookie and not a top 10 pick guy is incredible. I think this center we picked this year will also be a very good player. The guy is turning heads. That's two positions we should be set up for a long time. The other 3 sports are manned by never was or will be and can be dumped at anytime and replaced by other castoffs. Maybe that G we picked in the 4th can help next year. But that's a very long shot at best.

[Bowhunting Viking]

The other night on NFL Network when they were at Vikes camp I was watching the line working and it was apparent that O'Neil definitely seemed to look like he had bulked up. He didnt look so long and lean as last yr. I'm excited to see him perform with more strength and bulk. I see alot of upside in this kid. I also think Elf is gonna suprise , given the fact he has had a whole off season being healthy and being able to fully work out.

[Maelstrom88]

He was a great pick. To come in and start at RT as a rookie and not a top 10 pick guy is incredible. I think this center we picked this year will also be a very good player. The guy is turning heads. That's two positions we should be set up for a long time. The other 3 sports are manned by never was or will be and can be dumped at anytime and replaced by other castoffs. Maybe that G we picked in the 4th can help next year. But that's a very long shot at best.

Agree. I see him being the left tackle next year. I think him and Bradbury will be very goid for awhile barring injury. The rest is still a work on progress.

[VikingLord]

Man, I remember after last season's draft how much grief Spielman took for not only not taking an OL in the first round, but then for "reaching" for O'Neill in the 2nd. That was a gutsy pick at the time, especially given how O'Neill ended up being thrust into a starting role mid-season.

Anyone who did their homework on O'Neill would have seen that it wasn't a bad or even unusually risky pick at all. O'Neill probably wasn't a guy you hoped would make the starting lineup in his rookie year, but everything else about him indicated that given time and coaching, he could develop into a quality starter.

I was as surprised as anyone at how O'Neill rose to the challenge last year given what he was asked to do. He was a very pleasant surprise. But overall, I am not surprised to read what he's done in the offseason or how he's been preparing for this season, nor will I be surprised if he doesn't end up in the conversation as among the better right tackles in the NFL by the end of this season.

Have to give Rick kudos on having the guts to make O'Neill his 2nd rounder last year.

[S197]

I admit I thought O'Neill was a reach. I'm glad to read about his work ethic and improved strength. I still think Spielman botched the 1st round based on the comments that came out afterwards but sometimes you can mess up a round and still come out ahead (Kevin Williams).

[YikesVikes]

Man, I remember after last season's draft how much grief Spielman took for not only not taking an OL in the first round, but then for "reaching" for O'Neill in the 2nd. That was a gutsy pick at the time, especially given how O'Neill ended up being thrust into a starting role mid-season.

Anyone who did their homework on O'Neill would have seen that it wasn't a bad or even unusually risky pick at all. O'Neill probably wasn't a guy you hoped would make the starting lineup in his rookie year, but everything else about him indicated that given time and coaching, he could develop into a quality starter.

I was as surprised as anyone at how O'Neill rose to the challenge last year given what he was asked to do. He was a very pleasant surprise. But overall, I am not surprised to read what he's done in the offseason or how he's been preparing for this season, nor will I be surprised if he doesn't end up in the conversation as among the better right tackles in the NFL by the end of this season.

Have to give Rick kudos on having the guts to make O'Neill his 2nd rounder last year.

####. "hitting" on Oniel was due to a run on OL. Address the oline in the first and other parts of the draft and last year, this team might not have missed the playoffs. Why must we act like this was the only way to improve? Its like is Mattison rushes for 900 yard this season. It doesn't mean he is the only RB that could have done so.

[CharVike]

Man, I remember after last season's draft how much grief Spielman took for not only not taking an OL in the first round, but then for "reaching" for O'Neill in the 2nd. That was a gutsy pick at the time, especially given how O'Neill ended up being thrust into a starting role mid-season.

Anyone who did their homework on O'Neill would have seen that it wasn't a bad or even unusually risky pick at all. O'Neill probably wasn't a guy you hoped would make the starting lineup in his rookie year, but everything else about him indicated that given time and coaching, he could develop into a quality starter.

I was as surprised as anyone at how O'Neill rose to the challenge last year given what he was asked to do. He was a very pleasant surprise. But overall, I am not surprised to read what he's done in the offseason or how he's been preparing for this season, nor will I be surprised if he doesn't end up in the conversation as among the better right tackles in the NFL by the end of this season.

Have to give Rick kudos on having the guts to make O'Neill his 2nd rounder last year.

####. "hitting" on Oniel was due to a run on OL. Address the oline in the first and other parts of the draft and last year, this team might not have missed the playoffs. Why must we act like this was the only way to improve? Its like is Mattison rushes for 900 yard this season. It doesn't mean he is the only RB that could have done so.

Hitting on O'neil had nothing to do with Spileman? Just some run. OK got it. Mattison is a good pick. We need a backup desperately. 90% of this board felt he was a terrible pick at his spot. He has 7th round ability maybe. Terrible pick by Speilman. But this PT HOFer WR Mitch in the 7th was Speilmans best pick according to some. No he wasn't. He won't make the team at an extremely shallow position. Everybody's favorite pick and possible the steal of the draft was the stiff G we picked in round 4. That was a major reach. He would have been there later. The guy is a major project and doesn't do a thing well yet. Even his movement sucks.

[VikingLord]

Have to give Rick kudos on having the guts to make O'Neill his 2nd rounder last year.

####. "hitting" on Oniel was due to a run on OL. Address the oline in the first and other parts of the draft and last year, this team might not have missed the playoffs. Why must we act like this was the only way to improve? Its like is Mattison rushes for 900 yard this season. It doesn't mean he is the only RB that could have done so.

I think the aspect of the O'Neill pick that Rick deserves some credit for is seeing the potential of that particular player given that point the draft. Most of the pre-draft assessments of O'Neill that I read had him going later in the draft due to size concerns and a perceived lack of power related to those concerns. Yes, there was a run on offensive linemen, but it wasn't like O'Neill was logically next up when the Vikings 2nd round pick came up. It took some guts to make that pick, especially given that almost nobody, myself included, believed O'Neill was capable of making the immediate impact he ended up making. Rick might have gotten a little lucky on that aspect of the pick, but nothing I'm reading about O'Neill heading into this season surprises me at all.

But you're right too - Spielman could have taken a different OL in the 1st and maybe gotten the same result, or even a different OL in the second and it still could have worked out.

I'm still going to give Rick some credit for this pick, mostly because I believe he and his staff did their homework, and that gave them insight to see O'Neill's potential reward far outweighed his risk, even if his shorter term prospects didn't look as good as other options at that point in the draft.

Mattison, who knows? With any luck we'll not find that out for a long time because Cook stays healthy and tears it up.

[YikesVikes]

####. "hitting" on Oniel was due to a run on OL. Address the oline in the first and other parts of the draft and last year, this team might not have missed the playoffs. Why must we act like this was the only way to improve? Its like is Mattison rushes for 900 yard this season. It doesn't mean he is the only RB that could have done so.

I think the aspect of the O'Neill pick that Rick deserves some credit for is seeing the potential of that particular player given that point the draft. Most of the pre-draft assessments of O'Neill that I read had him going later in the draft due to size concerns and a perceived lack of power related to those concerns. Yes, there was a run on offensive linemen, but it wasn't like O'Neill was logically next up when the Vikings 2nd round pick came up. It took some guts to make that pick, especially given that almost nobody, myself included, believed O'Neill was capable of making the immediate impact he ended up making. Rick might have gotten a little lucky on that aspect of the pick, but nothing I'm reading about O'Neill heading into this season surprises me at all.

But you're right too - Spielman could have taken a different OL in the 1st and maybe gotten the same result, or even a different OL in the second and it still could have worked out.

I'm still going to give Rick some credit for this pick, mostly because I believe he and his staff did their homework, and that gave them insight to see O'Neill's potential reward far outweighed his risk, even if his shorter term prospects didn't look as good as other options at that point in the draft.

Mattison, who knows? With any luck we'll not find that out for a long time because Cook stays healthy and tears it up.

Fantastic post

[YikesVikes]

####. "hitting" on Oniel was due to a run on OL. Address the oline in the first and other parts of the draft and last year, this team might not have missed the playoffs. Why must we act like this was the only way to improve? Its like is Mattison rushes for 900 yard this season. It doesn't mean he is the only RB that could have done so.

Hitting on O'neil had nothing to do with Spileman? Just some run. OK got it. Mattison is a good pick. We need a backup desperately. 90% of this board felt he was a terrible pick at his spot. He has 7th round ability maybe. Terrible pick by Speilman. But this PT HOFer WR Mitch in the 7th was Speilmans best pick according to some. No he wasn't. He won't make the team at an extremely shallow position. Everybody's favorite pick and possible the steal of the draft was the stiff G we picked in round 4. That was a major reach. He would have been there later. The guy is a major project and doesn't do a thing well yet. Even his movement sucks.

To clarify, I meant that I don't think the plan was to take Oniel in the 2nd. I think RIck and company underestimated the market and got caught with their pants down. They then selected a prospect that happened to work out. Just my opinion. Idont believe Oniel was this red hot sleeper that they knew were gonna be good. I think they selected a prospect based on who was left and highest on their board (regardless of round grade)

[VikingsVictorious]

####. "hitting" on Oniel was due to a run on OL. Address the oline in the first and other parts of the draft and last year, this team might not have missed the playoffs. Why must we act like this was the only way to improve? Its like is Mattison rushes for 900 yard this season. It doesn't mean he is the only RB that could have done so.

Hitting on O'neil had nothing to do with Spileman? Just some run. OK got it. Mattison is a good pick. We need a backup desperately. 90% of this board felt he was a terrible pick at his spot. He has 7th round ability maybe. Terrible pick by Speilman. But this PT HOFer WR Mitch in the 7th was Speilmans best pick according to some. No he wasn't. He won't make the team at an extremely shallow position. Everybody's favorite pick and possible the steal of the draft was the stiff G we picked in round 4. That was a major reach. He would have been there later. The guy is a major project and doesn't do a thing well yet. Even his movement sucks.

What I saw of Mitchell on tape and his numbers at the combine and his stats all indicated to me that he was better than his draft position. As of now it looks possible he doesn't make the team. I know his hands are a bit below average, but I thought his skill at getting separation, his speed and his "wiggle" would make up for that. So far it looks like I was wrong, but I'm not giving up on him.
Dru Samia was Big12 OL of the year over Cody Ford. A 2nd team all American. He sure seemed like a good pick and now I'm hearing negative reports on him. The draft is a crap shoot. I liked the pick of O'Neil last year and Mattison this year. I tend to be a positive guy but there are definitely picks that I don't like. I was right about Treadwell.

[S197]

O’Neill injured his arm yesterday, has a brace on it now. Doesn’t seem overly serious but I don’t see him playing against the Saints.

[CharVike]

Hitting on O'neil had nothing to do with Spileman? Just some run. OK got it. Mattison is a good pick. We need a backup desperately. 90% of this board felt he was a terrible pick at his spot. He has 7th round ability maybe. Terrible pick by Speilman. But this PT HOFer WR Mitch in the 7th was Speilmans best pick according to some. No he wasn't. He won't make the team at an extremely shallow position. Everybody's favorite pick and possible the steal of the draft was the stiff G we picked in round 4. That was a major reach. He would have been there later. The guy is a major project and doesn't do a thing well yet. Even his movement sucks.

What I saw of Mitchell on tape and his numbers at the combine and his stats all indicated to me that he was better than his draft position. As of now it looks possible he doesn't make the team. I know his hands are a bit below average, but I thought his skill at getting separation, his speed and his "wiggle" would make up for that. So far it looks like I was wrong, but I'm not giving up on him.
Dru Samia was Big12 OL of the year over Cody Ford. A 2nd team all American. He sure seemed like a good pick and now I'm hearing negative reports on him. The draft is a crap shoot. I liked the pick of O'Neil last year and Mattison this year. I tend to be a positive guy but there are definitely picks that I don't like. I was right about Treadwell.

I can jump quickly and maybe Mitchell turns it around. That's possible and since we are so thin at WR it gives him the best shot. But a guy needs to be a consistent pass catcher. If his hands are no good he's worthless. You can't waste plays like that. Samia lacks the base strength at this stage. He also doesn't move that well. But it's not over for him but he will need time. But I do like his nastiness and attitude. The size and movement can be worked out. It's still very early. A WR that has looked good is Alexander Hollins. But he needs to get bigger or will get killed. The guy I like from last years draft TE Conklin has been very impressive. He needed a year before he could compete. We could be stacked at TE. This Mattison guy is a nice player. Will he be all world? Nope. But he can spell Cook which in turn will help Cook. Cook is a very good back.

[VikingLord]

The guy I like from last years draft TE Conklin has been very impressive. He needed a year before he could compete.

Conklin looks like he could be a very good TE. I thought he had good potential when Spielman took him last year, but he could be a guy who finds a way to get on the field and make an impact despite playing a position that is setting up to be very deep this year. Of course, that assumes Smith is ready to get on the field and while he has the raw tools, he might take some time. But I agree that Conklin looks ready.