Who should the Vikes draft?

[james_walleye]

One of the reasons I think Kalil is the obvious pick is because of what is available in FA. WR and CBs are loaded this year. I believe both will be addressed in part before the draft.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

IF thats the case, then i would have no problem drafting Khalil. Not too many top end FA are gonna wanna come to a 3-13 squad unless we completely overpay for them though. The way the rules are set up now, its a passing league. Even if your o line is terrible, unless its a sack u cant touch the QB without drawing a flag. Its all about the big play passing game in the NFL now and defenses that cause turnovers, and that reeks of a skill position pick at 3 to me.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Blackmon is NOT going to be a stud. He will be a solid receiver, but no star. He does not have speed to separate himself from the defenders. Everyone just expects him to be a star just cause he's the best wr in the draft.

Blackmon doesnt have breakaway speed, but big deal... thats all anyone ever looks at anymore. What he DOES have is GREAT hands(the #1 thing i look at in someone that is paid to catch the ball) and the ability to run through tackles. He'll be more then solid.

Zepman- They dont get touched in the pocket because they get the ball out of their hands quickly and they know where its going and where their recievers are gonna be at all times. And if they do get hit its a flag anyway cuz the NFL wants them all upright and not on injured reserve. Can u even name an o lineman on one of their teams without googling it?

Im not saying we dont need oline help, just not with the 3rd overall pick!!!

Having said that, the vikes will probably end up taking Khalil which will take care of two spots on the O line(johnson to G). But ponder still wont have anyone to throw to except Harvin and Rudolph, which wont scare anyone or back defenses off the line of scrimmage for AP. AND our defense still wont have any playmakers.... we'll just continue to watch interceptions bounce off our worthless secondaries face masks and Cedrick griffin get scorched for long tds. Good luck with that

[MUSKY18]

Having said that, the vikes will probably end up taking Khalil which will take care of two spots on the O line(johnson to G). But ponder still wont have anyone to throw to except Harvin and Rudolph, which wont scare anyone or back defenses off the line of scrimmage for AP. AND our defense still wont have any playmakers.... we'll just continue to watch interceptions bounce off our worthless secondaries face masks and Cedrick griffin get scorched for long tds. Good luck with that

Which is exactly why they need to pick Khalil with that pick. Move Johnson inside to guard and all of a sudden you have an offensive line that is already 100 times better than last year. Open up some running lanes for AP. Let the defense walk 8 into the box to stop him and then when you decide to let Ponder throw, he actually has the time to find Rudolph or Harvin. You all talk about how getting the ball out quickly is the way to go, but how many "quick hitting" pass plays do the Vikings really throw? Not many, so that talk is just nonsense until the OC revamps the play calling. Take are of the O Line with Khalil and it opens up much more than drafting another Troy Williamson. Yeah, remember him? The big playmaker wide receiver the Vikings drafted to make an instant impace? Take care of the offensive side of the ball with the draft and pickup some D help through FA.

[FutbolGuru]

Agree, Musky18.

Taking Kalil is the smart move. It is our highest percentage chance to shore up our oline this year, not to mention, for many years to come. We can't put it off again, we have to do it now. Ponder got killed last year and Favre got killed the year before that... I was in awe of our picks last year when we made it out of the first 2 rounds without an olineman.

Also, I'm in the camp that doesn't like the idea of spending a top 3 pick on a LT... but in our situation, given the other players we have to chose from in this year's draft and FA, it's the smart move. We need to keep our quarterback healthy so he's around to play when we actually have a team 3 years from now. Don't be shortsighted people.

That said, I would love to hear Blackmon or Claiborne's names called on draft day lol.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I think its a big mistake to tie up a bunch of cap room on a Tackle. Joe Thomas, Jake Long... both recently highly drafted tackles who are very good players. How much of an impact did they really have on their teams? Pretty minimal to me because both of their teams are still terrible! Trade down if its o line you want or shore up the line through FA.

Ill tell you whats nonsense- Comparing Blackmon to Troy Williamson..... c'mon man. Thats the biggest bust in the history of the NFL draft besides Tony Mandarich or Ryan Leaf. Pretty big shoes to fill there...

[soldoncass]

I really would like to see the Vikes evaluations of their young players, because that would give us a roadmap to where they need to focus. I haven't seen anyone really mention our 2011 draft picks, as far as future....it seems to mostly be big name FA, or big name draftees. How many of you, actually called ANY OF OUR picks last year????? Yet 9 out of our 10 are still on the team, so they must show promise to the coaches. After off-season work-outs, otas, etc. they will be expected to contribute in 2012.....or they will be cut loose.

Last year they got their QBOF....now I expect the surrounding pieces, especially LT, WR(probably 2),on offense. On defense a DT, S, 2 CB's, LB, #3/4 QB. That is 9 picks if they are all draftees. Looking for depth everywhere. I'm excited to see how it all shakes out. Much better than knowing they will stand pat, with marginal vets, like Chille did.

[toughguy]

I think its a big mistake to tie up a bunch of cap room on a Tackle. Joe Thomas, Jake Long... both recently highly drafted tackles who are very good players.

The new Rookie pay scale means this year's drafted player won't tie up cap room nearly as bad as in the past. Kalil all the way. It would be nice to tie up that spot on the line for the next 10-14 years.

[pikestabber]

If we don't take Kalil and start to shore up this swiss cheese line, we may as well make our second pick the best punter in the country...someone to give Kluwe a breather during those 10-12 punt games we will have when Ponder is laying lifeless somewhere around 4th and 25. An OL taken in the top ten picks is not sexy by any means, but necessary! Blackmon at 3? Why? To have a high profile receiver that we don't have time to throw the ball to? We need to address our O-Line first and foremost and get receiving help and secondary help in FA or in later rounds. As it stands, our "deep threat" is in the 5-7 yard range because that's how far routes could be run before Ponder was toast.

[MUSKY18]

I know I am day dreaming, but I would love to see the Vikings send Sullivan down the road too. The best game the O line played last year was the Green Bay game at the dome and Sullivan was out. Watch other centers in the league when they snap to their QB in the shotgun, the ball is on a string and in their hands quick. Sullivan is lucky that he gets the ball to Ponder after its a rainbow or worm burner on the ground. HE SUCKS!!! They have a good, BIG backup. Get them all in there with Kalil and let them come together and gel as a unit. Once they can somewhat control the line of scrimmage, Ponder has time, AP can run, it will be a very different team and much harder for a defense to just send 9 guys on the blitz knowing they are going to have 2-3 guys hammering Ponder. Take care of up front and let the rest fall into place. Ponder can't become the quarterback of the future if he doesn't have time to even let plays develop so he knows what they SHOULD look like. Funny as it may sound, you get AP running and Harvin catching where the defense can't key on just one of them, its a big game changer right there.

[soldoncass]

Actually the worst draftee I can remember, in the NFL, is: Dimitrius Underwood!!!!

Charles Robinson of YAHOO SPORTS said: the vikings made "the dumbest pick EVER in the 1st round" .... I agree, and the SPIELMAN HATERS take note....he didn't make that pick, or the other 3 names just mentioned either!!! Maybe he isn't so bad after all...

[zepman]

Drafting Kalil also free's up our non-existant TE's to go out and actually run a route. There is a reason Shianco and our 2nd round pick last year, Rudolph, disappeared during games...they had to stay in and BLOCK on the edges because our line was so bad.

Draft Kalil to start at tackle = upgrade

Move Johnson to guard = upgrade

Free up our TE's....especially Rudolph = upgrade

It may not be the sexy pick but I'd sure like to see more Rudolph next year given the small sample we got from him this year.

[james_walleye]

100% spot on.

[goblueM]

I think its a big mistake to tie up a bunch of cap room on a Tackle. Joe Thomas, Jake Long... both recently highly drafted tackles who are very good players. How much of an impact did they really have on their teams? Pretty minimal to me because both of their teams are still terrible! Trade down if its o line you want or shore up the line through FA.

Ill tell you whats nonsense- Comparing Blackmon to Troy Williamson..... c'mon man. Thats the biggest bust in the history of the NFL draft besides Tony Mandarich or Ryan Leaf. Pretty big shoes to fill there...

A) there is a rookie wage scale, it won't tie up lots of cap room

you are going to pay your first pick approximately the same regardless of position

C) you have to pay good players, regardless.

D) are you seriously suggesting that good offensive tackles are not helpful to NFL teams? There is a reason they are highly paid and highly prized

[FISHINGURU]

There's only 2 options at this point.

Keep the pick and draft Kalil or trade the pick.

You can't just go find a franchise LT, no teams let them go therefor you have to draft them.

I'll never understand why teams let their O-lines get so bad, if I was building a team that's what I'd want the most.

[B. Amish]

a good o-line makes the ENTIRE team better. can't say that about any other group or position.

except HOF qb's

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Never once said we dont need to upgrade o line. Seems like everyone on here thinks Khalil is the ONLY good lineman in this draft, which i find very hard to believe. Thats just not true, there will be good lineman takin in the 7th round, much less the first.

Yes im aware of the new rookie wage scale, but guess what, the 3rd overall pick is still gonna make a bunch of money. Trading down and getting more picks is the way to go if your all set on an o lineman.

Id like to hear what everyone thinks about this- What if the rams dont trade their pick and RG 3 is available with the 3rd pick???? What would you all do?? I would take him without using ANY time on the draft clock. Im not sold on Ponder being our franchise QB at all... Seems like everyone is though

[PurpleFloyd]

Never once said we dont need to upgrade o line. Seems like everyone on here thinks Khalil is the ONLY good lineman in this draft, which i find very hard to believe. Thats just not true, there will be good lineman takin in the 7th round, much less the first.

Yes im aware of the new rookie wage scale, but guess what, the 3rd overall pick is still gonna make a bunch of money. Trading down and getting more picks is the way to go if your all set on an o lineman.

I agree totally. While the line needs to be upgraded big time I would much rather trade out of 3 and get both a LT and a RG or RT to build overall depth than to use a pick that high in the draft on a Tackle.

Even if Kalil exceeds even the rubes expectations there are so many holes in the roster that it can only help to have as many picks as possible to fortify the roster.

[PurpleFloyd]

Drafting Kalil also free's up our non-existant TE's to go out and actually run a route. There is a reason Shianco and our 2nd round pick last year, Rudolph, disappeared during games...they had to stay in and BLOCK on the edges because our line was so bad.

Draft Kalil to start at tackle = upgrade

Move Johnson to guard = upgrade

Free up our TE's....especially Rudolph = upgrade

It may not be the sexy pick but I'd sure like to see more Rudolph next year given the small sample we got from him this year.

When they were in the game the vast majority of the time they were actually on the right side of the line helping Loadholt and not on the left. That was usually handled by the RB and if Peterson would be able to sell the screen and execute it then we would be able to counter that pass rush on the right side of the line without needing an all world tackle.

[FISHINGURU]

a good o-line makes the ENTIRE team better. can't say that about any other group or position.

except HOF qb's

Even HOF QB's blow goats when they don't have any time and get smashed to the ground repeatedly throughout a game.

[FISHINGURU]

Id like to hear what everyone thinks about this- What if the rams dont trade their pick and RG 3 is available with the 3rd pick???? What would you all do?? I would take him without using ANY time on the draft clock. Im not sold on Ponder being our franchise QB at all... Seems like everyone is though

I'd trade the pick to some eager team.

I doubt anyone is sold on Ponder either way, hard to tell after half a season worth of playing time with no offseason workouts with no O-line or Wr's.

What he did do is show flashes of being good, and he showed flashed of being bad, that's how it is for most rookie QB's.

I doubt Brady or Manning would look good behind our O-line throwing to our WR's.

[zepman]

Our O-Line was bad last year but our defensive secondary was by far the worst group on the field.

I expect they will go after a FA corner as their #1 off-season need and spend alot of $$$ for him too. Could also see them taking a corner in the early 2nd round as well.

[pikestabber]

Never once said we dont need to upgrade o line. Seems like everyone on here thinks Khalil is the ONLY good lineman in this draft, which i find very hard to believe. Thats just not true, there will be good lineman takin in the 7th round, much less the first.

I don't think he's the only good OL in the draft, but I do think he's the best available OL. Saying there "will be good lineman taken in the 7th round" is like saying there "will be good QBs taken in the 7th round." That may be true, but I don't see the Colts talking about anyone but Luck. Why? Because he is clearly the best QB in the draft based on the facts we have right now. The same is true of Kalil--he's the best at his position, and that is our #1 position of need. Why wouldn't we take him? We can fill that hole with a legitimate franchise LT and shore that spot up for years to come, and I would be dumbfounded if we did anything but that.

[pikestabber]

Never once said we dont need to upgrade o line. Seems like everyone on here thinks Khalil is the ONLY good lineman in this draft, which i find very hard to believe. Thats just not true, there will be good lineman takin in the 7th round, much less the first.

I don't think he's the only good OL in the draft, but I do think he's the best available OL. Saying there "will be good lineman taken in the 7th round" is like saying there "will be good QBs taken in the 7th round." That may be true, but I don't see the Colts talking about anyone but Luck. Why? Because he is clearly the best QB in the draft based on the facts we have right now. The same is true of Kalil--he's the best at his position, and that is our #1 position of need. Why wouldn't we take him? We can fill that hole with a legitimate franchise LT and shore that spot up for years to come, and I would be dumbfounded if we did anything but that.

[corncob]

I checked over the first 20 players as rated, and, the Vikes could trade down while still getting a quality OL player plus a potential 2nd high rated LB, CB or WR well ahead of their normal 2nd round pick....We need more than just an offensive lineman.