An inside look at the Minnesota Vikings 2015 NFL Draft

Thursday night is a special night. To say I enjoy the annual NFL Draft is an understatement. Since 1982 I have watched virtually every draft in its entirety. I don’t know what it is. Perhaps it is due to the fact that each year I do my own research of these players by scouring website after website, reading each scout’s assessment of players, and then classifying them into a ranking system of my own. Also, there are a lot of players I get to watch during the college football season and I make mental notes of players. Either way, it’s a lot of fun to read about these kids; to explore another aspect of something I enjoy and that is research.

This year; however, I have not done as thorough a job as I would have liked, and so I have decided not to mock the First Round, as is customary of me the last 10 years or so. So, I can only offer my assessment of my favorite team, the Vikings.

I have been pretty happy about the Vikings drafts these last few years. It is unfortunate they missed on Christian Ponder because I really was a fan of the kid, but the Vikings panicked and picked him too early. I thought they could have waited until the 2^nd round to grab him, or my other choice, Andy Dalton. Anyhow, it is what it is. I hope that Ponder is able to catch on with another team and should make a viable back up, perhaps being a starter someday.

So, onto the 2015 pick. I like several players for the Vikings at #11, but I am leery about that spot. In the last 20 years, starting in 1995, the Vikings have not had much success drafting between 11-20 in the first round. In fact, the only two players who stand out are: Daunte Culpepper (pick #11, 1999), and Chad Greenway (pick #17, 2006). I am not sure the Vikings can trade back farther than picks 14-16, but they  could do the double drop. I have seen teams do it in the past (see New England Patriots draft history). If the Vikings are able to do two drops into the early 20-22, they could amass several mid-round picks to either use on a deep draft or as trade bait.

Before I offer my suggestions, a quick analysis of the so-called depth draft. Most of the experts have said this is a deep draft for edge rushers, wide receivers, defensive linemen, and running backs. It’s weak at the ILB, S, TE, and  punters (just kidding at that position). Given the Vikings needs, dropping down makes a lot of sense. Unless they are looking at best available and cannot move out of the #11 spot, then take a WR, CB or Edge Rusher, or maybe even a DT.

Now, let’s look at a few players that intrigue me that mesh with what the Vikings need. First their needs. Most pundits have the following positions as big needs for the Vikings: offensive line, cornerback, safety, and inside linebacker. Other needs are defensive line, wide receiver, and perhaps outside linebacker.

The players at each position and where the Vikings could get them:

Offensive linemen, Round One: Brandon Scherff, G//T, Iowa, and La’El Collins, G/T, LSU

Round Two: Laken Tomlinson, OG, Duke, Ali Marpet, G, Hobart

Cornerback, Round One: Trae Waynes, Michigan State, Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest, or Byron Jones, Connecticut (could be an early round two).

Round Two: Jalen Collins, LSU, P.J. Williams, FSU

Inside Linebacker, Round One: Eric Kendricks, UCLA (only if Vikings drop to that 20-22 area would he be worth that selection)

Round Two: Stephone Anthony, Clemson

Given their immediate needs, if one can classify that as such, it looks as though the Vikings would be best served trading down and grabbing some extra picks. However, if the Vikings stand pat at #11, here are a few players they should consider.

Before I start let me make a very bold statement. Unless someone trades up or the Jets or Falcons take him, Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia would say a lot about what the Vikings have with Adrian Peterson.  I want Adrian back. He’s got another 2-3 really good years left, but if there are rumblings in the Vikings organization, or a pending trade going down, it would not surprise me to see the Vikings select Gurley, should he be there, but my inclination is that he will not.

Sidebar over. Here are some other players to watch at #11 should the Vikings not get any willing trade partners: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia, Devonte Parker, WR, Louisville, Danny Shelton, DT, Washington, Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska, Shane Ray, DE, Missouri. I know the last two guys have issues off the field, and the Vikings may not be interested in them at all given their woes from the  Adrian Peterson deal and other situations in the recent past,  but there is no denying these guys’ talent, and both should be available at #11.

Of all the guys I had at the positions of need, the only player, I feel is a solid sure thing is Scherff from Iowa. I don’t know enough about the other positions to feel confident at #11, and that is why I would like to see a trade down.

The Bottom Line here is, I am not a football GM or a draft expert. I am a Vikings fan first and a football fan second. I take what I have learned over the 40 plus years being a Vikings fan, considering trends, and evaluating players. It is my hope the Vikings have a good draft. They have done pretty well the last three years, and if they can parlay this one into another solid draft, then the future is bright for the Vikings and their new stadium.

Final word: My choice is Scherff from Iowa. I predict a trade down and then best available athlete regardless of position. My surprise pick should Scherff be gone, is Danny Shelton, DT, Washington. I am not too happy with the Vikings interior defensive line. We need some massive production from Sharrif Floyd and Linval Joseph, especially Joseph, at 323, he should be that run stopper they need, but Shelton could be an impact type right away. Also, don't be surprised if the Vikings go CB. Zimmer loves CBs. 

One thing is for sure, Thursday night the focus will be the NFL Draft and pretty much nothing else, sorry honey! As for Friday and Saturday, I get just as excited because in many cases, this is where the team is really built and sustained. It's going to be an interesting weekend to say the least.

SKOL Vikes!

A Brief Recap of Vikings 2014 Draft

If you cared to look at my last post on the Vikings, you would have noticed that I had some good points and points I would rather dismiss as foggy-eyed and dreamy. Hey, predictions are pretty hard things to master.


Anyhoobastank, I am proud to say that I hit a home run by selecting Anthony Barr in my mock draft. I did not anticipate the Vikings moving back into the first round to nab Teddy Bridgewater. I was thinking more in the lines of Derek Carr in Round Two, but suffice to say both QBs have shown they may eventually be the class of this class.


Overall, I was pretty happy with their selections and the hiring of Mike Zimmer seems to have been a good choice. I have to be honest, I wasn't sure about Zimmer. When analysts say things like, "It's time for Mike Zimmer to get his chance" and yet has not, I began to wonder if he had head coaching "scruples." I didn't want another  Rod Marinelli situation, but in the Vikings case. I was okay with the  Lions making questionable choices, but the  Vikings? No. However, I was not a big fan of the Leslie Frazier choice. Especially when there were proven coaches out there like, Jim Harbaugh. Yes, he was at Stanford, but he was a Michigan guy, and now IS a Michigan guy again. There was also Ron Rivera. He may not have been the smartest, but he's a tough, hard-nosed guy who gets the most of his players. Then there was John Fox...enough said about his track record. By the way, Chuck Pagano and Jeff Fisher were out there as well.


I am not saying that Zimmer was a bad choice. He strikes me as a Ron Rivera type. I hope he can keep Norv Turner as his OC for at least a couple more years before retirement or moving on. I was more or less pointing the finger at the Frazier hire when they could have held onto Childress for the rest of the season and then opened the door to a wide variety of other candidates.


Okay, closing that door. I am hopeful for the Vikings in the coming years. I see a decline in the Packers over the next few years, not sure if Fox can rebuild the Bears with Cutler as his QB, and the Lions will fade soon as is their history. With some hiccups here and there, the Vikings have a way of making that consistent performance a franchise way of life. We have had our down years these past three to four years. It's time for the Vikings to re-emerge as Kings of the NFC North and vie for that elusive Super Bowl title that has eluded them.


I am not being foggy-eyed or dreamy on this one. In this day and age of sports, it seems that any team can win a championship at any given time, just look at the Buccaneers. The BUCCANEERS!


SKOL VIKES!