Mel Kiper and Todd McShay don’t agree on much, but they’re on the same page when it comes to which position the Vikings will address in the first round of this year’s draft. They both think it will be receiver – they just disagree on which receiver the team will select. Kiper thinks it will be Hakeem Nicks of North Carolina, while McShay projects Florida‘s Percy Harvin to become a Vike. Another guy lots of people like after his blazing fast time at the combine, Darius Heyward-Bey (who always makes me think of Turhan Bey), is projected by both men to be taken by the Bears at 18. For the record, both Kiper and McShay have the Lions taking Matthew Stafford with the #1 overall selection.
I can’t say I’m thrilled with the idea of the Vikings going receiver. They’ve taken a couple – Aundrae Allison and Sidney Rice – since Brad Childress became coach, and neither has come close to developing into a threat. And then there was the whole Troy Williamson situation which the Chilly regime inherited and failed to fix. Frankly, I don’t think this staff does a great job with its receivers. George Stewart came with a reputation as a guru – Terrell Owens gives him a lot of credit for helping his career – but the results haven’t really been there that I can see. A lot of this may just be Chilly’s system of course…and the lack of good quarterbacking. But, if that’s the case, isn’t it still sort of a waste to bring in yet another wide-out, this time spending a first round pick? Who knows…maybe this time they’ll pick the right guy and coach him up. But, given the organization’s recent track record, there’s an equal chance that whatever receiver they took would end up never amounting to much.