Feb 24, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (24) laughs while waiting to do the vertical jump during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Cordarrelle Patterson – Tennessee

Patterson was widely criticized by scouts for giving a very poor impression at his combine and pro day interviews.  The worries about his professionalism and intelligence only got worse after he reportedly scored an 11 on the Wonderlic Test.  Many draft experts worry that more complex playbooks may be too complicated for Patterson to comprehend.  Teams should also be concerned that Patterson’s drops could be more of a mental issue than a physical one.  He is very raw in terms of route running and finding ways to get open when plays break down.

Feb 24, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers wide receiver Tavon Austin runs with the ball after making a catch during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Tavon Austin – West Virginia

Austin would be an excellent replacement for Percy Harvin in the slot.  The problem with that situation is that the Vikings already have Jarius Wright to fill that hole.  Also, we may see the newly acquired Greg Jennings rotate into the slot every now and then.  Teams may also be concerned about Austin’s size and durability at the NFL level.  In addition to those concerns, he also reportedly scored a 7 on the Wonderlic Test.  His small hands and tendency to rely on juke moves are also concerning.  He also looks for the home run play too often rather than taking safer short yardage gains.

Dec. 31, 2012; El Paso, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Robert Woods (2) is tackled by members of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defense during the second half during the Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium. The Yellow jackets beat the Trojans 21-7. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Robert Woods – USC

Robert Woods doesn’t impress with his measurables.  He doesn’t have elite size, speed, or strength.  He could have a major problem with getting pushed off routes because of his lack of strength.  Woods has a bad habit of pushing off to get open.   He has battled ankle injuries his entire career.  Running backwards to elude defenders won’t work as well at the NFL level as it did in college.

October 27, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; California Golden Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen (21) catches a touchdown pass during the second half against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Utah defeated California 49-27. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Keenan Allen – University of California

The major concern with Keenan Allen is his nagging knee injury.  He missed the last 3 games of his college career with this injury and has had it checked multiple times since then at the NFL Combine and Combine followups.  He doesn’t have elite straight-line speed and lacks the elusiveness to make defenders miss tackles.  He struggles to make catches in traffic and it often results in dropped passes. His inability to prove that his knee has healed has raised a lot of red flags around the league and his slower than expected 40 yard dash time at his pro day made those concerns even bigger.  If he could have proven that he was back to 100%, he could have been a potential top-10 pick at this year’s NFL draft.

DeAndre Hopkins – Clemson

Dec 31, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (6) catches a touchdown pass over LSU Tigers safety Eric Reid (1) in the second half in the 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl at the Georgia Dome. Clemson won 25-24. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Hopkins has a lean torso to go with average height and build.  He won’t break a lot of tackles and will have to get stronger to be an effective Wide Reciever at the NFL level.  Hopkins also has a tendency to try to catch the ball with his body rather than his hands, which could be a problem, especially since sometimes he tries to make a move before he has the ball fully secured.  He won’t win races against corners based on his speed alone.   It has also been revealed that his was the room that was vandalized at the NFL Combine, bringing his character into question although he claims he had checked out of the room prior to the incidents.

With five of the top Wide Receivers having major health or character issues, are the Vikings willing to gamble on one of them with one of their picks in the first two rounds?  If so, who do you think the Vikings should gamble on and why?  Leave your answer in the comments below.

Aug 24, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive back Harrison Smith (22) against the San Diego Chargers at the Metrodome. The Chargers defeated the Vikings 12-10. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Note:  I’m grading players by their positions (what they are expected to do) and their overall contribution to the team in 2012.  I will not be grading them according to how they stack up against other players in the league, rookie or otherwise, nor for the spot they were taken in the draft.  An “A” means that they did everything you would expect or need a player at that particular position to do on this team, that they made significant contributions, and that they even excelled a little bit.  A “C” is the baseline.  They did their job, they were fine at it, but nothing to write home about.  And an “F”… well you can figure out the rest.

1. Matt Kalil: A

Taking an offensive lineman as the number four overall pick in the draft probably wasn’t a very sexy move, nor was it surprising.  It was however a perfect decision.  The level of solidity that Kalil brought immediately to the offensive line was quite literally a game-changer, as the Vikings offensive line went from being one of the worst in the NFL to somewhere near the top (Charlie Johnson sliding over to guard and the dismissal of Anthony Herrara in favor of the younger Brandon Fusco also contributed).  Kalil played very well for the most part, struggling at times as all rookies do, but overall proving that the decision to take him at number four overall was not only necessary, but was the smart thing to do.  He showed all the signs of being a true franchise left tackle, the kind of guy you can expect to see playing at a very high level for a lot of years to come.

2. Harrison Smith: A

I remember the reaction I had when I found out that the Vikings had traded their way back into the first round to take Harrison Smith.  It wasn’t disdain or disapproval, but it certainly wasn’t joy.  It was probably mostly a feeling of trepidation; did we REALLY need to do that?  We needed a safety to be sure, but there were a few other more pressing needs that I felt could have been addressed sooner.  Boy was I wrong.  Of all the 2012 rookies, Smith was easily the most exciting to watch.  For a rookie, he was consistently solid with a few absolutely huge plays mixed in.  He brought a level of physicality, intimidation, and playmaking ability that Vikings fans haven’t seen in our secondary in many many years.  The absolute best part about Smith, like Kalil, is that he doesn’t seem to be a one hit wonder.  All signs point to him being able to continue to improve each season and hopefully, he’ll be a mainstay here in the backfield for Minnesota for many years to come.

3. Josh Robinson: C

I actually really like Josh Robinson.  His rookie season was a little bit up and down, but potential can be an important factor.  Everyone knew he had potential when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds, the fastest time in the NFL Scouting Combine last year.  I recall hearing his name, entirely because of his stellar 40, but not taking much note of it or the things said about him leading up to the draft.  When he was drafted by the Vikings I thought it seemed like a reasonable choice for a third round pick, and I was excited to have a player of “note” join the team.  When he first hit the field during the regular season he actually made some plays, including an interception and near touchdown return. He seemed fairly solid for the most part, making a few rookie mistakes here and there, but at some point, he just seemed to disappear a little.  I’d like to see a little bit more out of a third round pick, and hopefully that exact thing will happen this season.

4. Jarius Wright: B

Ah, what to say about Jarius Wright.  He’s a difficult one to grade, as he saw such limited playing time during the season.  He had a moment of brilliance in the Lions game where he came up with a huge 54-yard catch, a few moments of solid/slightly exciting play, and a whole lot of run-of-the-mill stuff with a few drops mixed in.  He seems like a guy who can be a receiver in the NFL, but so far there doesn’t seem to be anything splashy or exciting about him.  We’ll have to see what he can do with some more playing time in 2013.  Like many of the Vikings 2012 draft picks, there’s nothing troubling about this guy.  There’s no reason he won’t improve next year, and who knows, he might end up as a pretty good offensive weapon after getting some more experience under his belt.

5. Rhett Ellison: B

When Jim Kleinsasser left the Vikings in 2011, he left some pretty big shoes to fill.  Whether it was fair or not, Rhett Ellison was billed as the man who would fill those shoes, even taking Kleinsasser’s number: 40.  By virtue of the position he plays and the things he is asked to do on gameday, it’s fairly difficult to give Ellison an accurate grade.  He was asked to be a pass protector, a run blocker, and occasionally a pass catcher, and performed all of these duties to a reasonably high level.  Because his job description isn’t one that provides easily measurable statistics, I’m going to ignore the stats and go with my gut.  He’s a pretty darn good football player who definitely contributed to this team in 2012.  As always there’s room for improvement,  but Ellison should be yet another guy that can have a long career and continue to improve.

6. Greg Childs: F

It’s probably not entirely fair to give Childs an “F”, but since he ultimately didn’t contribute to the team in 2012, it’s the only grade he can possibly get.  In many ways the fourth round pick Childs was more exciting than his lifelong buddy Jarius Wright, in that his body type and style of play were something more desperately needed by the Vikes, who already had their very own smallish slot receiver in Percy Harvin.  Unfortunately for those of us who were hoping for the second coming of Sidney Rice, things happen.  In what can reasonably be described as a freak accident during training camp, Childs tore his patellar tendons (the patellar tendon connects the kneecap to the tibia or shinbone, and is responsible for straightening the leg) in both knees, ending his rookie season and putting his future as an NFL player in doubt.   While he showed promise in training camp, he never stepped foot on the field during the actual season, so he unfortunately doesn’t get a good grade.

7.  Robert Blanton: D

Blanton is another guy that is too difficult to really give an accurate grade.  He had such limited playing time that it would be almost meaningless to discuss how good he is and how much he contributed to the team in 2012.  He gets a “D” because of just how little he made it onto the field, not because of any lack of talent.  That being said, he seemed fine when he was on the field, and we’ll see what he has to offer in the future.

8. Blair Walsh: A

I’m not going to give out an “A+” because that throws a wrench into things as far as what the actual meaning of each letter grade is.  However if I were to give out a gold star for someone being extra special, Blair Walsh would take it, hands down.  Most of us shook our heads when the news came in that fan-favorite Ryan Longwell was let go before the end of his contract, and most of us were downright shocked when the Vikings took a kicker in the sixth round.  This was a gamble that paid off for Rick Speilman, and of course the entire Vikings franchise.  Not only did Blair Walsh step in and perform his job to near-perfection – breaking NFL records and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl – but based purely on 2012 performances, he can legitimately be considered one of the best kickers in the league.  I don’t mean top ten, and I don’t even mean top five – he’s earned the right to vie for the number one spot with maybe a couple other people.  Of course consistency is everything, and he has many more years to create whatever legacy he’ll leave behind, but he’s certainly off to an amazing start.

9. Audie Cole: C

We all remember the second preseason game of 2012 where in the fourth quarter, seventh round draft pick Audie Cole snatched two interceptions and brought them in for touchdowns on back to back plays.  It was incredible to see, and it cleared the Vikings bench as players rushed to congratulate him.  Say what you will about it only being a preseason game, it’s still not something you see too often.  But ultimately… it WAS just a preseason game.  Cole saw minimal time on the field in 2012 outside of special teams, where he played pretty well, showing up on some semi-big plays at times.  Cole’s grade is a function of his limited role, and the fact that we just haven’t seen enough of him.  I’d love to see him impress the coaches enough to come in a little more often, or at least make some real big-time plays on special teams.  Who knows, second year is often better for the guys who are solid but not splashy, and Cole certainly fits that description.

10. Trevor Guyton: F

Who?

Ultimately, the Vikings 2012 draft class is one of the better ones in recent memory.  No, we didn’t get a superstar like Percy Harvin or Adrian Peterson (but hey, technically Blair Walsh performed his duty just as impressively as either of those guys did their rookie seasons) but what we did get was a half dozen players that range from solid to potentially great.  These guys should all have a place on the Vikings roster for years to come.  The only real disappointments were Trevor Guyton and Greg Childs, one of which was entirely due to injury.  Maybe I’m being a little too easy on some of these guys because I’m a big homer, but I truly believe that this is exactly the way to build a team, lots of young talented guys who have nothing but upside and potential.

Dec 3, 2011; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Nick Toon (1) runs the ball as Michigan State Spartans safety Trenton Robinson (39) tackles from behind at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory credit: Michael Hickey-US PRESSWIRE

The easy part is over for Rick Spielman and the Vikings. They got their left tackle and their two new pieces for the secondary. Those were all obvious picks (even though there was plenty of suspense leading up to them). What happens from here on out however is far from obvious. Rounds 4 through 7 are where the real personnel men make their money. The question: Can Spielman find enough good players to build up this team’s depth, and maybe pick out a couple of future starters? With 9 picks remaining in the draft he will have plenty of chances. It’s clear from yesterday’s lack of a trade-up that Spielman wants to use every one those 9 picks. He knows what the deal is. The Vikings have a very weak roster and need help all over the place. Now it’s up to him to identify players that actually CAN help and not just hold down roster spots in camp.

I don’t need to remind you that Spielman’s record has been spotty in the latter rounds, so his butt is kind of on the line today. Yes he made some nice moves in the first and showed good patience by not giving up picks to move back up yesterday. Positive signs for Spielman as GM. But he’s a long way from proving himself. Go find us some diamonds in the rough Rick. Or at least rubies or emeralds.

So what positions will the Vikings target today? What positions WON”T they target. Here’s a quick rundown of the types of players they might be looking for:

Wide Receiver

Nick Toon might be a pick in the fourth or Marvin McNutt. Those guys aren’t burners but they’re good complementary types who bring specific skills to the table. Either of them could easily push Michael Jenkins for the #3 receiver spot next year. The Vikes could also take a developmental player like Dale Moss or Mario Louis, guys with talent who are very very raw.

Tight End

They looked at James Hanna, a “generic” freak (to quote Mr. Spielman), and might take him as another raw talent to build. They’re fairly set at tight end for the present.

Offensive Line

Guard. Kenio Selemete is a possibility there. Tackle Tom Compton could also be on their board.

Defensive Line

I still think they should pick up a beefy run-stuffer. Alameda Ta’amu and Hebron Fangupo are out there. So’s Josh Chapman. Among non-beefy guys, Chase Baker is a possibility. They’ll surely pick up a defensive end or two along the way too.

Linebacker

Audie Cole is the name to watch. They loved him at the Senior Bowl.

Cornerback

You can never have enough cornerbacks. Did we learn that lesson well enough last year and the year before? Lionel Smith and Ron Brooks were both guys they visited.

Safety

I don’t know if he’s in their plans anymore after the Harrison Smith pick but Antonio Allen was a guy the Vikings liked. He was a hybrid safety in college. D.J. Campbell might be on the board too.

Running back

I never looked very hard at the running back position in my pre-draft work for obvious reasons but certainly they could go that way, maybe hoping to turn up a gem who could grow into a #3.

Kicker

They did visit a kicker, Greg Zuerlein. Ryan Longwell ain’t getting any younger.

Nine picks coming in a few hours? Should be dizzyingly fun.

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