Ponder - Solid Choice

[FutbolGuru]

Had to pull the trigger sooner or later on a QB (since we don't have one). Ponder is perfect - smart and accurate - the only two attributes that matter for a QB to be successful in the NFL. Brady, Manning, Brees... none of these guys are athletic phenomenons, but they are the best at their position.

I hate hearing "the Vikes could have got Ponder in the 2nd round". According to who? According to Mcshay and Kiper? These guys haven't a clue about ranking QBs. They evalute QBs based on their collegiate careers and their physical attributes, and put little emphasis on their mental attributes (the most important part of quarterbacking).

Awesome job Vikes. You finally took a shot at brightening our future. MY #1 fear heading into this draft was the notion that we may end up with Cam Newton....

[Dylan33]

I agree that he has a decent chance at becoming a servicable NFL QB...BUT he was taken too high.

According to who? How about the other teams in the draft? NO ONE showed any interest in taking him early. He was told he would NOT go in the first round...he didn't even go to the draft! That is how confident he was that he wouldn't get picked.

And with Mallett and Dalton still on the board....at least one of them would have still been there...

No use arguing that point now, though. I am on the Ponder bandwagon....I just hope he is ready to start behind a terrible O-Line when the season begins.

[FutbolGuru]

According to who? How about the other teams in the draft? NO ONE showed any interest in taking him early.

Word on the street is Washington traded down (could've taken Gabbert) assuming Ponder would be there at 16.

I hear ya - I didn't like hearing his name called on draft day either... but we made the right move. How often does a team have a shot at drafting a franchise QB? You have to take it if the opportunity presents itself. Also, I trust our coaching staff now (with Musgrave) more than ever to make the right choice on a QB. He's smart, accurate, but doesn't have the 'big' arm... sounds like the scouting report on Brady and Brees coming out of college. We'd be playing 'not to lose' if we hadn't taken a chance on this guy at 12.

[Dylan33]

I just hope he doesn't get killed back there behind our O'line---a.k.a

The Minnesota Matadors

[Scott K]

Quote:

He's smart, accurate, but doesn't have the 'big' arm..

HUH, kinda sounds like the scouting report on me as well! Maybe I should try to go in next years draft

I can make 5 yd passes all day long!

[FutbolGuru]

I just hope he doesn't get killed back there behind our O'line---a.k.a

The Minnesota Matadors

Haha - speaking of Oline...

I fully understand the TE pick in round 2... he was pretty much the best player available and we want another complete TE (pass catcher and run blocker) to be able to run more two TE sets with AP in the backfield to utilize play action.

At the same time... god would it have been nice to get a solid Olineman there...

[Jim Uran]

HUH, kinda sounds like the scouting report on me as well! Maybe I should try to go in next years draft

I can make 5 yd passes all day long!

The accurate part?

[Scott K]

Thats why I said "kinda"

[goblueM]

my take is that either he'll pan out or he won't.

If he pans out, then it doesn't really matter what pick the Vikes took him with. He was going to be gone before they could get to him, so they took the guy they believed in

in my mind, the question is if they got the right guy, not that where they got him

[B. Amish]

my take is that either he'll pan out or he won't.

great take, how can you be wrong there?

[toughguy]

I would have loved Gabbert, and would have preferred trading down and gotten Ponder or Dalton later than 12. Maybe we had no takers on the trading down option. Oh well we'll know sometime in the next year or 2 if this was a smart choice or not. I like the fact that he's intelligent, knows how to work from under center and fairly quick. I hope it works out.

[nofishfisherman]

I'm ok with the pick. Maybe it was a reach at 12 but we wouldn't have gotten him in the 2nd round if we stayed put. In the 2nd round you had at least 3 teams picking ahead of us that needed a QB (Bengals, 49ers, and Cardinals) The Bengals and 49ers took Qb's and when the Cardinals came up all that was left was Mallet. They opted to pass, if Ponder was still on the board I just don't see them passing him up at that point. That would have been 5 picks before us.

If we could have traded down to the low to mid teens in the first round then maybe we might have gotten him but it sounds like they tried but couldn't get it worked out.

I think we all need to remember that projections are not a perfect science. Lets see in 3-4 years who the top 12 players are. Some will be studs and some won't even be in the league after a few years. Also Ponder may be an average QB in some offensive schemes and a pro bowler in others, its all about being a good fit for a particular team.

[goblueM]

Amish, my point was that arguing over WHERE he was taken is pointless, given that either he'll work out and be worth the pick

OR, he won't work out and he would have been a bad pick no matter if it was 1st or 2nd round

[FutbolGuru]

The knock on Ponder (according to ESPN, anyways) is arm strength.... watch this play - 50 yards, on the move, across his body... arm strength is a non issue, fellas. We have the real deal in purple. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Jar435rnc

[james_walleye]

That was sweet, and across his body....

[FISHINGURU]

That was mean! 50 some yard pass being flushed out across the body on the money, seems like plenty of an arm to me.

People that talk about big arms are full of it anyway, I'll take smart and accurate over big arm anyday.

There's QB's on every team with big arms but have no accuracy and are dumb as a box of rocks. Junkson could bomb the ball but couldn't hit the broadside of the barn and was a maroon.

Montana, Brees, Brady, they were all [PoorWordUsage] in peoples eyes one day because they didn't have arms, were to scrawny, to short, ect.

I hope he starts day 1 and does good.

[zepman]

Word has it that the Vikes could have traded down but it would have still put them BEHIND the Redskins and Ponder was the target for them in trading down themselves at 16...the Vikes took him when they had to.

[nofishfisherman]

Look how the trade down strategy worked for the Redskins. They missed out on a QB altogether. The vikings could not afford to miss out on a QB, they had to take him when they did. The other option is we lose another season with a retread QB, or we toss Webb to the wolves. With Ponder we at least have a guy more NFL ready than Webb. I wouldn't be entirely against letting him start from day one, assuming we can pick up some O line help through FA when and if it starts.

I don't see us going too far with Ponder or any first year QB running the team next year but its a year of learning and another year of a high draft pick. After that who knows where we could be in 2 years.

[archerystud]

If Ponder turns out then this was a great pick. Obviously a lot of people didn't think much of Brady since he was drafted in the 6th round. You could pretty much say ALL of the draft gurus were wrong about him.

I would have preferred to build up the line first. Protect any QB and give AP a little more space to run. Maybe a new O coordinator will figure out a way. Time will tell.

[zepman]

You have to remember free agency hasn't happened yet...2 key signings on the o-line would put us right back in business.

It would make sense to try and protect a rookie qb with a veteran line.

Time will tell....

[Rick]

I think Ponder will be fine. I like him better than Locker or Newton.

In my opinion we got the 4th best center in the draft with Fusco (which was an area of need for us) and an O-lineman in Love that should give the Vikes some depth. He was a value pick in the 6th round. I think he will make a fine journeyman lineman.

Fusco will end up being our starter down the road. Love may never be an every down guy but he should be plenty good going in fresh to spell some of the others on occasion, at least until he gets plenty of NFL experience under his belt.

[FISHINGURU]

Fig Newton will probably be the worst pick in the draft.

[zamboni]

Not too bad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGrZlm33Ff8

[DR_FISH]

He finished a 4 year degree in college in 2 1/2 years. It shows that he is smart and self motivated, and is not afraid to work hard, all good attributes for a good QB.

Is it just me or does Ponder look like Blake Hoffarber a lot?

[beer batter]

I heard Ponder played on a FSU squad where there wasn't a single offensive player drafted during his tenure. Look forward to seeing him play with talent the likes of AP, Percy, and company. He also sounds like a comedian, should make for some interesting sound bites.