The Best Of The Rest: Day Three

With the trade to move back into the first round and select Cordarrelle Patterson sending a hefty number of picks to New England, the Vikings had no picks on Day Two.  Today, however, they are armed with a fourth rounder (120), a fifth rounder (155), and sixth rounder (189), and two seventh rounders (213 & 214).

The Draft seems to be progressing in such a way that some percieved value seems to still be available at the quarterback, running back, defensive line and defensive back positions.  Here are a few names to keep an eye on as the picks start coming in this afternoon:

Matt Barkley, QB, USC:  If Barkley had declared for the 2012 NFL Draft a year ago, it is believed he would have easily been selected in the first round, shortly after Andrew Luck and RGIII.  Now we know he will go no earlier than the fourth round.  Barkley has some issues, but he is accurate enough to get a shot in the NFL, and the Vikings could really start a media storm by putting him on the roster behind Christian Ponder and company.

Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse:  A tough pocket passer that was rumored to be drawing first round interest.  That obviously didn’t work out for him as he had hoped, but he could be a nice addition to someone’s depth chart.

Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas:  Rick Spielman was impressed with the Arkansas passing game last year, when he selected wide outs Greg Childs and Jarius Wright, so perhaps he also likes their signal caller enough to take a late round flier on him.

Alex Okafor, DE, Texas:  Seems like a great fit at left end for a 4-3 team with the talent to let a young guy sit on the depth chart and slowly grow and gain experience.  The Vikings have had great success in recent years drafting fourth round defensive lineman, and while the depth chart is mighty crowded there, he could fit the bill to be their latest steal.

Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech:  I thought Patton had a slight chance to go late in the first round, and was a sure-fire second rounder, so I am stunned to be sitting here readying for day three with him still on the board.  One of my favorite tough guys in this class, and I would love to see the Vikings continue to upgrade their weapons on offense with a Boldin-type player.

Barrett Jones, G, Alabama:  A big ol’ mauler like Jones could provide Brandon Fusco and Charlie Johnson with some serious competition this fall.  He would arguably be our best run blocking guard from day one.

Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama:  We’ve talked about Williams and the concerns about him being a one-dimensional run stuffer.  Still, in the fourth round, it is hard to imagine finding much better positional value than you do with a powerful and promising young nose tackle.  3-4 teams should be all over this guy.

Lavar Edwards, DE, LSU:  A real sleeper prospect here that has not gained the attention he would have if he hadn’t been stuck on a crazy talented roster like LSU.  He’s a large swing end that I could easily see developing into an NFL starter.

Phillip Thomas, SS, Fresno State:  I’m not sure Thomas could step onto a team like the Vikings as a rookie starter, but he would certainly be added to the competition.  He’s a downhill, physical run stopper than could use some higher-level coaching and some time to bulk up a bit.

Khaseem Greene, OLB, Rutgers:  If the Vikings have really left them in a position where Erin Henderson is a legitimate possible starter at middle linebacker, then the weakside will need some help.  Greene is everything you hope to see out of a WLB prospect and would be a nice addition to a depleted depth chart.

Da’Rick Rogers, WR, Tennessee Tech:  A big, strong wide out with a some trouble in his past.  Could certainly be a nice addition to any team at this point in the Draft, including the Vikings.  The question here is if he is even on their board at all.

Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina:  The best, most complete running back in this class.  I’ve said for a while now that the Vikings would be a great fit for him, letting him take it easy for a year, and then bringing him into the fold in 2014 when Toby Gerhart leaves and a new backup to Adrian Peterson is needed.  If Lattimore can regain his pre-injury mojo, he might not just be Peterson’s backup, he could be his successor.

Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State:  The addition of Xavier Rhodes should not prevent the Vikings from continuing to find depth at cornerback, especially in the division they’re in.  The addition of Cordarrelle Patterson should also not keep them from finding good return men.  Poyer is both, and would be a very solid addition at this point.

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