Adam Schefter: Matt Kalil “Not a Lock” to Be Picked By Vikings

The draft intrigue never ends. On Wednesday NFL wonk Adam Schefter reported (via Evan Silva) that teams are “sniffing around” the Vikings’ #3 pick, but are waiting for their draft boards to set before beginning any discussions about a trade. Schefter then said that, going by conversations he’s had with people around the league, it’s “not a lock” that Kalil will be the Vikings’ pick.

As if that wasn’t enough, Mad Tweeter Jim Irsay also got in on the act. Irsay knows there’s no intrigue whatsoever about what his Colts will do in the draft so I guess in his boredom he decided to stir things up for the Vikings. Irsay tweeted, “[Ryan] Tannehill is a hidden gem in this draft,a quiet secret who was always sneaking up to #3..you want him,you better talk to Zigi The Biggie!” Zigi the Biggie obviously being Zygi Wilf.

Just for fun, let’s pretend Schefter and Irsay are both onto something. Who would make the trade with the Vikings to draft Tannehill? Cleveland? I doubt it. Definitely not Tampa. And not the Rams who have signaled their commitment to Sam Bradford. Jacksonville has Gabbert so no. Miami maybe, but would the Vikings really trade down all that way and lose the chance to take Kalil? The idea has been floated that the Vikes would move to 8 for the right package and then take tackle Riley Reiff, but that assumes the Vikings value Reiff, a player who has fallen on some draft boards after a poor combine showing.

Carolina and Buffalo pick 9 and 10 and are definite nos. That gets us to Kansas City. The Chiefs may have an interest in Tannehill, but if they traded with the Vikes from 11 to 3, they’d have to give up a ton. And who would the Vikings even draft if they went all the way to 11? Michael Floyd might be in the picture there. Or Mark Barron or Michael Brockers. Or maybe even Luke Kuechly. Or Reiff still. To me this is as far back as the Vikings would realistically go in a trade. They’re not going all the way back to 16 with Philadelphia unless Philly wants to give up first rounders for a couple years to come.

So much entertainment value in this speculation. But when all is said and done? I still think they take Kalil at 3. You already know all the reasons so I won’t rehash them.

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