2nd Round
Demarcus Lawrence, DE/OLB Boise State. Lawrence played defensive end for Boise State, but he projects as a rush linebacker in the NFL. At 6'3" and 250 lbs, he's about the same size as Khalil Mack. However, he only ran a 4.8 second 40 yard dash at the combine, a bit off from Mack's 4.61. But he wouldn't be used like Mack would. Lawrence would probably step in on passing downs as an outside linebacker for the Vikings, as he doesn't seem ready for pass coverage yet. But for what Zimmer has planned for the defense, that may not be needed. NFL.com says Lawrence's pass rushing ability is in the best of this year's class. That's saying something in a class with Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack, and Anthony Barr. And seriously, look at those arms! If he's not in the best position to make the tackle, he'll probably be able to get at least one hand on the ball carrier or passer. In a more recent mock draft, Lawrence was actually projected in the bottom of the first round. The Vikings may not get a shot at him.
 |
| from: NFL.com |
Chris Borland, ILB Wisconsin. Like the Lawrence prediction, if the Vikings go quarterback with their 1st round pick (or second 1st round pick??) they should go linebacker with the second round pick. Last year he had 143 tackles, 19 of them for a loss in twelve games. He might be in the conversation for a first round pick-the Broncos are in need of a middle linebacker, and C.J. Mosley could be gone by the time they pick-except he's considered undersized with small hands. He's 5'11", yet that didn't ever seem to stop him. He's not the fastest-Borland ran a 4.86 forty yard dash at the combine-but he has a knack for being around the football. The only knocks on Borland seem to be his size and his ability in man coverage. However, his size shouldn't be an issue if he's always in the right spot, which he usually is; his awareness and instincts are great. As for his man coverage, the Vikings run a Cover 2 more than anything else, so the most man coverage he may be asked to play is to cover a tight end or running back in the flat. Smart players are always good to have.
Zach Mettenberger, QB LSU. If the Vikings pass on a quarterback with their top pick, and they don't trade back into the 1st if one of the big 3 (or Carr) start to fall, they'll still need to address the position quickly. Mettenberger has been on the Vikings' radar for a while now. He's the ideal size according to today's NFL standard, 6'5" and 225 lbs, and has a rocket for an arm (apologies for the cliche). NFL.com lists a slow delivery and heavy footwork as some of his faults. That means more work for the offensive line as they'll need to protect him for a bit longer. But his size and arm strength are ideal for Norv Turner's downfield passing attack. The good news is that he won't have to step in on day one. Mettenberger will benefit greatly from sitting behind Cassel for at least a year before he needs to jump in and lead the offense. The other thing to consider with this is that Mettenberger could fall to the third round.
 |
| from: gridirontribune.com |
3rd Round
Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB Nebraska. Most mock drafts have Jean-Baptiste going in the latter part of round 3, but he probably won't be there for the Vikings second pick in the round if they hold onto it. He's 6'3" and 218 lbs, which fits what the Seahawks were doing with Sherman and Browner that most of the league might be trying to copy. He's not the fastest, but he'd be great in press coverage. Lined up in combination with Xavier Rhodes and Captain Munnerlyn, Jean-Baptiste could make the Vikings secondary a bright spot for the future.
 |
| from: detroitlions.com |
Martavis Bryant, WR Clemson. This would be a luxury pick. If Mack falls to 8, and the Vikings then decide to trade back up into the 1st round, they will most likely need to give up a 2nd and a 3rd. While I would prefer they take a cornerback, with two of their three main needs taken care of, adding another weapon for Cassel and the new quarterback would be great. Cordarelle Patterson will be used much more this coming year, and Greg Jennings is solid. Jerome Simpson, even though he is coming off a much better season than in 2012, can be inconsistent, and he's had some off-field issues. Jarius Wright looks pretty good, too, but I think he's best in the slot. While not a polished route runner or great at going over the middle, the 6'4" Bryant has 4.4 speed. Granted, it's only the combine, but that's a faster time than fellow wide receiver Sammy Watkins, the top prospect at the position, posted.
 |
| from: detroitlions.com |
Shayne Skov, ILB Standford. At 6'2" and 245 lbs, he has prototypical linebacker size. He's another very smart player. If the Vikings pass on C.J. Mosley and Chris Borland, if they can grab Shayne Skov the Vikings should be pleased with the outlook for their linebacker unit.
4th Round
Billy Turner, OT/G North Dakota St. He has great size for whatever position he plays at 6'5" and 315 lbs. He obviously needs some work; NFL.com notes that he plays too tall to get great leverage. Turner could slide over and play guard if the Vikings liked him better than Charlie Johnson and Jeff Baca, but he could also be a good swing tackle behind Matt Kalil and Phil Loadholt.
 |
| from: sportingnews.com |
Christian Kirksey, OLB Iowa. I've seen Kirksey play more than all the other prospects combined. He isn't phenomenal, but his speed and awareness will set him apart. He actually played over the slot a lot in college and did well. At 6'2" and 233 lbs., he's been called undersized, but his ability in coverage will stand out.
Logan Thomas, QB Virgina Tech. I know, right? This one doesn't make a lot of sense. I love me my tight ends, and a 6'6", 248 pound body with 4.61 forty yard dash speed lining up alongside Kyle Rudolph gives me shivers. He's as fast as Eric Ebron, the tight end from North Carolina who is lauded for his speed. But Thomas probably won't be open to a position change. If the unthinkable happens and the Vikings go three rounds without selecting a quarterback, Logan Thomas could be an intriguing pick. He will definitely need to sit for a while, but behind Cassel and with Norv Turner to work with him, he could surprise people in a year of two.
Greg Cosell of Yahoo Sports wrote an article about how Logan Thomas looks to be a more developed passer at this stage than Cam Newton was coming out of Auburn in 2011. Here it is if you want to check it out: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/the-case-for-logan-thomas-as-nfl-draft-s-most-intriguing-qb-prospect
 |
| from: houstonchronicle.com |
Pierre Desir, CB Lindenwood. This could be a steal here in the fourth round. Pierre Desir is good, but scouts fear going from MIAA competition to the NFL is going to be a very long and difficult transition. He's fast enough to compete, though, and he attacks the football in the air. That would be a nice change; the Vikings had just twelve interceptions last year.
 |
| from: seahawks.com |
A lot can happen in these rounds, as the cornerback position is fairly deep at the second level. Ideally, I would love the Vikings to land Khalil Mack in the first at 8, or trade back and get C.J. Mosley, then trade up in the first to nab a falling Teddy Bridgewater or Derek Carr. Hopefully that would still leave the Vikings with at least two picks in rounds 2 through 4. I'd really like Billy Turner and Stanley Jean-Baptiste, but Pierre Desir would also be a great pick. If you follow all the prospects incessantly and nearly insanely pour over mock drafts, May 9 should be just as exciting as May 8.
No comments:
Post a Comment