What’d Mike Mayock Have to Say About the Vikings?
Austin Belisle
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In recent years, NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock has gained a reputation as one of industry’s brightest football minds, consistently sharing detailed film study and in-depth analysis with fans. His status as a draft guru has led to new coverage opportunities, specifically surrounding the ever-popular NFL Scouting Combine.
On Monday, Mayock held his annual pre-Combine conference call with the media, answering questions about this year’s prospects, the NFL Draft, and individual team needs. After sifting through the 28-page transcript, we dug up Mayock’s thoughts on the Minnesota Vikings, which touched on everything from the Adrian Peterson situation to Mike Zimmer’s draft strategy.
First, Mayock addressed the team’s potential need at running back:
[quote_box_center]“It’s interesting, because Minnesota’s sitting there at No. 11 and the whole Peterson thing becomes intriguing because (Jerick) McKinnon’s coming off surgery. (Matt) Asiata was a tough guy. I get all of those kinds of things. But at the end of the day, you’re going to have to look for a full-time tailback.”[/quote_box_center]
Clearly, Mayock isn’t sold on Jerick McKinnon or Matt Asiata as eventual replacements to Adrian Peterson. McKinnon’s rookie season ended abruptly due to a back injury, and Asiata averaged a pedestrian 3.5 yards per carry in 2014. If Peterson doesn’t return to the team, Mayock believes the Vikings will have a chance to draft his replacement in the second or third round:
[quote_box_center]“At running back we start talking about big, strong guys that are the Boise (State) kid, (Jay Ajayi), he’s a solid second round pick. Tevin Coleman from Indiana is a little like a (Darren) McFadden from the Oakland Raiders. Upright, explosive kid. He gets a gash and he can take it to the house.”[/quote_box_center]
Right now, it’s too early to tell what the Vikings will do with the 11th-overall pick — the picture will be foggy until Peterson’s suspension is lifted on April 15th. However, the team has more pressing needs, particularly at cornerback and guard:
[quote_box_center]”I think offensive linewise, left guard, right tackle, corner is still a need. I really like what’s happening with Xavier Rhodes, and I think Mike Zimmer’s one of the best corner evaluators and coaches in football. So if they win corner at 11, that wouldn’t surprise me.”[/quote_box_center]
Phil Loadholt is expected to return at right tackle next season after missing most of 2014 with a torn pectoral muscle. When healthy, Loadholt is one of the league’s best run-blocking tackles, as evidenced by his appearance on the 2013 PFF All-Pro Team. If anything, the Vikings need to address the opposite side of their line, as left guard Charlie Johnson is almost guaranteed to hit free agency.
Although Matt Kalil struggled mightily in 2014, it’s difficult to believe that Rick Spielman will take another left tackle so high after using the 4th-overall pick on Kalil in the 2012 NFL Draft. The much-maligned Kalil battled through a knee injury and a slew of mental lapses last season, but he’ll get one more shot in 2015 to prove he can be a reliable starter.
Iowa’s Brandon Scherff, Mayock’s highest-rated interior lineman, probably won’t be available when the Vikings select in the first round. Mayock believes Scherff “could play guard or tackle” in the league, but Rick Spielman is in a a position to draft the “best available player”, not necessarily the team’s biggest need with the 11th-overall pick.
Image courtesy of Vikings.com
Spielman, then, may look to add a cornerback and bolster Mike Zimmer’s secondary. Right now, Xavier Rhodes is the team’s clear-cut #1 cornerback, having improved his play to near-elite levels in 2014. Free agent acquisition Captain Munnerlyn is better-suited as a nickel corner, and Josh Robinson struggles against the league’s taller receivers (think about the NFC North’s Calvin Johnson and Alshon Jeffery).
On Mayock’s list of top prospects, a few names stand out as potential “sidekicks” to Xavier Rhodes. Trae Waynes, Mayock’s highest-rated corner and a standout in Michigan State’s man-heavy scheme, has the length and ability to play on an island. Like Rhodes coming out of Florida State, Waynes tends to grab receivers, leading to an excess of holding penalties. LSU’s Jalen Collins is cut from the same cloth, measuring in at 6’2″ and 198 pounds. He only started 10 games his entire collegiate career, and is still developing as a corner. If drafted, Collins would need a heavy dose of coaching and retraining, something Mike Zimmer has proven he can do successfully.
It’s still too early to predict what the Vikings will do in the NFL Draft, but Mayock’s annual conference call gives fans an idea of what to watch during the Combine and pre-draft process. We’ll monitor the Combine closely and follow the news leading up to the Draft in April and May.
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