Rick Spielman Won’t Draft DeVante Parker Just Because Teddy Bridgewater Likes Him

Would DeVante Parker be a good pick for the Vikings at #11? Parker’s ex-teammate Teddy Bridgewater has weighed in on the matter and he says yes. Unfortunately, Teddy Bridgewater is a player and not a GM.

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The Vikings’ GM is a guy named Rick Spielman and when the call is made on draft day it will be his call. Will Spielman take Parker #11 overall?

Spielman obviously isn’t going to answer that question. But here’s what he did say today: When it comes to making the pick, he won’t be influenced by Teddy Bridgewater’s supposed rapport with his former teammate.

Teddy Bridgewater may be growing into a team leader but he still has zero clout with the GM. And that’s as it should be.

It sounds good to say “Bridgewater and Parker worked well together in college so they’ll be great in the pros” but if player evaluation were that simple…well, guys like Rick Spielman wouldn’t get the big bucks they get.

No doubt Spielman and his staff have watched tons of tape on DeVante Parker and will continue watching more tape. And they’ll check him out as he works out during the draft run-up.

Whatever determination needs to be made about Parker’s value will be made by Spielman and his scouts, not by Teddy Bridgewater. We love you Teddy, but you’re not a front office guy. Yet.

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