Draft Thoughts
By author
Hello Vikings fans, I am new to The Vikings Age but hope to contribute something to this obsession we fans call Vikings football. Most of you don’t care to know much about me, but I am a 28 year computer geek who loves some Vikings. I am happily married with a 15 month old daughter. Now onto my insight (or lack thereof). When deciding on my username I decided to go against my usual Fantasy team names (thomas=genious) apparently that gives off the wrong impression, weird.
Seeing as we are approaching the draft with nothing else newsworthy (stadium, free agency, lockout) I’d like to give my opinion on the upcoming draft. With limited picks, and an aging roster, this draft will be important when deciding if we are rebuilding, half competitive, or still just a player away from making a playoff run. In some ways Vikings draft strategy may be about drafting quantity this year. That is, best player available, trade down for picks, and ultimately hope to have players who can contribute this year.
Our first round pick can really go many different ways. Drafting at number 12, we have missed Gabbert, Newton, and need to decide if we take Locker, Mallet, best player available, or desperately try to trade this away. In my opinion, we will not be able to trade down as easily this year, reports state that there is 0 chatter about trading draft picks this year. The overall feeling is that good players are to be had, but trading up for said player is not worth it this year. Despite rumors of drug use, and supposedly admitting this to teams, Ryan Mallet seems to be on the rise. From a late 1st round, to an early 2nd round pick after the combine, he seems to be creeping up draft boards. After watching him on Gruden’s QB camp, I am convinced he gave the best showing of other QB’s to be featured. His explanation of the play he drew up seemed to impress Jon Gruden, and it really made me think that he has a good head on his shoulder.
However, I think drafting Mallet at 12 is a little too high at this point. My ideal scenario is to take a lineman, or if one of the two WR’s were to slip with our 12th pick. At this point, we still need a QB, which means the Vikings need to work on trading back into the end of the 1st round, or early in the 2nd to grab someone. If Mallet were to be available still, I would love to see us take him, regardless of what we have to give up.
I think our first two picks are going to be dedicated to an impact player (O-Line, WR, or QB) regardless of which order, and after that I think we are drafting for depth. I do not see the team giving up too many draft picks as that goes against Rick Spielmann’s policy, in building through the draft. I think a likely scenario is that we draft O-Line, D-Line, or WR with the 12th pick, and then keep 3 QB’s on the board they like (Mallet, Locker, Dalton) and hope one falls to them in the 2nd round. If 2 of the 3 are drafted this would be the only reason to move up. I believe that we will be working to draft for depth at CB, S, and D-Line in the late rounds. I believe the first pick the Vikings make, whether it be at 12 or earlier/later will be telling on how the rest of the draft plays out. Also, there is 0 chance the Vikings move up, and if they do I will give you all the money in my pocket and/or wallet…which is of course nothing.
In my opinion it boils down to this:
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