Vikes Draft

[lawdog]

I think we need to bite the bullet and draft the Ohio State's kicker. Our kicking has been pathetic and is taking up too many roster spots right now!

[fishyguy]

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They better have that deal with AZ done when they make the pick if that's what they are thinking about doing. I don't think I'd still do it. We don't need to carry three-four good backs do we???

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No, but we need to make sure we have a couple that aren't injured or suspended.

[james_walleye]

Awfully hard too believe that Arizona would trade Boldin straight up for Bennett.

[lawdog]

Only Green's enormous ego makes it a possibility. After all HE drafted Bennett, he MUST be the best thing going...

[river rat316]

It would be Boldin for our 2nd rounder and bennet if it works it might not be to bad but remember Boldin is coming off of an injured knee and noone knows if he's the same after that injury but with that said Boldins a horse and well worth that trade!

[Down to Earth]

From what I recall I don't think Boldins knee injury was a "serious" injury, though he did miss a fair amount of time. I think Bennett & a second would be a bit much. I think a straight up Bennet for Boldin trade would make the most sense.

[fishyguy]

Agreed...I don't think I would throw in any higher than a 4th.

[GullGuide]

They have been talking about getting Nugent (the kicker, not the Motor City Madman...lol)with the second round pick...if he is still there. He's good enough that many are predicting him to go in the second round, so the Vikes would need to act.

[Down to Earth]

I think they would have to take Nugent in the second as he would probably be gone by time they draft in the 3rd. Though in 2 mock drafts I've seen that go through round 2 none of them had Nugent going in the first 2 rounds. Not saying he won't as there are always teams out there who need a kicker and will draft high to address the need aka. the Chargers last year.

For some reason I don't think they will not get Nugent for one reason or another. I'll stick with my prediction I made during last year; that the Vikes will take Lloyd in the 3rd round.

[james_walleye]

It seems too me the people who are in favor of dumping Bennett are in favor of a trade too AZ for Boldin. Funny thing is the reason everyone wants too dump Bennett is injurys, but a serious injury is what happened too Boldin last year. I dont get it??

[GullGuide]

I wouldnt mind seeing that either. Not many kickers out there that could double-up and punt too. Lloyd's range is a bit of a question mark though.

[FishRulerHookEM]

Sorry panthers will get williams.

[Down to Earth]

FYI......

More Mock Draft updates. Looked through some that were updated on the 23rd and 22nd. Mike Williams seems to be popular choice at #7 for the Vikes, however, a few did have the Vikings going Defensive End. I should note that the ones who had the Vikings going DE had both Williams and Edwards gone by time the Vikes picked at #7. Those who went with Williams at #7 projected a DE at #18. Those who went DE at #7 had WR, Williamson out of South Carolina slotted to the Vikes at #18.

Just to show how much these can vary from one prediction to another. In one draft they had the Vikes picking E. James at #7 and in a different one they had the Vikes picking E. James at #18.

[GullGuide]

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Sorry panthers will get williams.

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Please explain how this would be possible? Other than trading up?

[buzzsaw]

I haven't made any posts on this matter because you guys are doing such a good job keeping us up to date of the latest and greatest info! Keep it up!

[JustEnoughToEat]

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I think we need to bite the bullet and draft the Ohio State's kicker. Our kicking has been pathetic and is taking up too many roster spots right now!

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I agree, In football there are three phases of the game. Offense, Defense and Special Teams. You need to win two of the three to win a game and for the last three years we have given away two of them before the game has even started. Get the kicker with an early draft pick and your most likely set in that dept. for the next 10-12 years. I know people don't want to waste a higher draft "I'm not saying either of the first two picks" pick on a kicker but hopefully you won't have to worry about that pos. for a long time. It will also open up a roster spot for someone else to contribute.

[GullGuide]

Williams or Edwards # 1 and Nugent # 2.

Only reason I do not see them doing this is Tice's disdain for rookie kickers. He said 2 years ago he would never again open the season with a rookie kicker. They might just let Elling try it one more time and then resign Andersen again out of desparation...hope not.

[Down to Earth]

I wouldn't see anything wrong with drafting Nugent in the second for the Vikes. They only reason most teams don't draft a kicker high is they are set at the position, something the Vikings are not. Kaeding and Janikowski both went high in the draft. For the most part I think it is hard to draft a known impact player from the second round on down,(heck even the first round is tough), but I think the Vikes would be better off addressing the need instead of drafting depth at another position. I know a kicker isn't really seen as an impact player, but given the Vikings situation the past few years Nugent would definately be a positive impact for the Vikes.

[Down to Earth]

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Only reason I do not see them doing this is Tice's disdain for rookie kickers. He said 2 years ago he would never again open the season with a rookie kicker.

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Does anybody have comparable college stats with Elling and Nugent? Was Elling even drafted by the Vikes or did he sign as an undrafted free agent? My guess the two don't even compare. You'd hate to see Tice make his decision on this years draft based on the Elling decision.

[Stratosman]

Aaron Elling: 3 years with Wyoming - 55 fga, 37 fgm.=67%

Mike Nugent: 4 years with Ohio State - 84 fga, 68 fgm.=81% (big ten record for made field goals)

Elling even had a mediocre college career, he can't be our kicker again, and Anderson can't kick past 40 yards. Without a new leg we will be hurtin again on special teams.

[GullGuide]

I hope they draft him..would love to have a jersy with Nugent on the back!!!

Wang Dang Sweet....you know the rest...LOL

They could even ditch "Welcome to the Jungle" and play the opening riff from "Cat Scratch Fever" on kickoffs...that would rock!!

[cybermuskie]

I had 49er training in the cities this last week, but I am back to talk Vikes. (I know, no one missed me)

Here's what Vikingupdate.com had in their mock draft on the 24th. for the vikes 7th and 18th picks... Hope this doesn't get to long.

7. Minnesota (from Oakland)

Derrick Johnson, LB, Texas - The general consensus around the Twin Cities has been that this is a no-brainer - the best wide receiver available, whether Edwards if he's still available or Mike Williams. But the Vikings under the Tice regime have consistently stated they take the highest-rated player on their board and the only reason Johnson would still be available is that the teams in front of them each had more pressing needs on offense. This is a pick that screams of a trade down, regardless of who is still available. If Edwards is still on the board, he could easily be the pick here, but the Vikings' greatest need is at linebacker. Linebackers like Johnson are rare and the depth of quality LBs in this year's draft is thin. There have been some whispers that if one of the top three running backs is available, the Vikings will take one of them and then start working on a draft-day trade of Michael Bennett for an additional pick or two. But, if they stay in this spot and continue taking the best-rated player available up against need, it's hard to pass up Johnson.

18. Minnesota

Mark Clayton, WR, Oklahoma - While he won't immediately make you think of Randy Moss when you see him (he's only 5-10), he has the speed to be a deep receiver and the hands to play any of the three receiver spots the Vikings run - much like Nate Burleson was when he came to the team. Clayton has faced some of the top corners the college game has to offer and has come away from it with the upper hand in most instances. The Vikings have a couple of big receivers in Travis Taylor and Marcus Robinson, so Clayton's speed could be used to exploit the deep game, much like Moss did when he came into an established team with veteran wide receivers. If the Vikings look in a different direction, a versatile player like Shaun Cody of USC (a former teammate of Kenechi Udeze), who can play anywhere on the defensive line, would be another solid option.

ALSO...

Here is a piece about Tice in the draft.

Tice Hints at Taking WR at No. 7

Viking Update - Scout.com

March 24, 2005 at 8:51am ET

Over the last couple of years, Mike Tice has refined his covert actions heading into the draft, throwing out red herrings to throw the media off the track of the team's true intentions. So, it with some skepticism that VU hears Tice's plans for using the seventh overall pick on a wide receiver.

When it comes to Mike Tice making public announcements about players he's considering drafting, VU has learned to be skeptical. Not that Tice is a liar, but that he has learned from his previous mistakes.

When Tice was a rookie head coach, he was extremely forthcoming about players the team was looking at -- a position VU appreciated, but publicly acknowledged wouldn't last long. Sure enough, after proclaiming his man-love for DT Ryan Sims, the Cowboys and Chiefs swung a last-second deal to move the Chiefs ahead of the Vikings and KC ended up with Sims. The following year, Tice extolled the virtues of DT Jimmy Kennedy to a compliant media, only to take Kevin Williams and state later he was their man all along.

So it is with some trepidation that VU accepts Tice's comments Thursday from Hawaii about being interested in one of the top wide receivers in next month's draft. Could the Vikings end up with either Braylon Edwards or Mike Williams ? Sure. Will it happen? Not if Tice keeps to his track record of throwing out red herrings.

[vikingtom]

We need a Scott Studwell or Jeff Siemen type Middle linebacker. Ofence is ok. Need that linebacker

[Down to Earth]

Interesting swing on many of the mock drafts I've looked at that have been updated this week. More have both Edwards and Williams gone by the time Tampa gets done picking at #5. A couple have the Vikings going Benson out of Texas at RB. Something that wasn't listed before. Other than that mostly defense predicted with that #7 pick.

[cybermuskie]

Hey Down...

I have been checking into those mocks also. I don't know if you look at this one, and I don't know if I trust the guys that host the site, they do have links to some other sites like Draft King. You can check it out if ya want...http://www.hailredskins.com/MockDraft.htm

They have alot of trade stuff that may or may not happen. I have only seen one that had us taking Nugent in the 2nd Rd. Like we have said before....none of the mocks mean squat! Let's just get to draft day! It could be interesting!