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Welcome to part four of our ten part series entitled “Welcome to the Big Show” where we attempt to bring you a comprehensive, in-depth look at each of the Vikings ten Draft selections of 2012. In case you missed them, here are links to the first three: Matt Kalil, Harrison Smith, and Josh Robinson.
Now, we move on to USC’s Rhett Ellison who was a surprise pick by the Vikings near the end of the fourth round.
Welcome to part three of our ten part series called “Welcome to the Big Show” where we give you an in-depth look into each of the Vikings ten Draft selections of 2012. Last time, Adam highlighted our second pick of the 2012 Draft, safety Harrison Smith. Today, we’ll take a look at the Vikings third round pick, cornerback Josh Robinson.
Player Info
Name: Joshua Robinson
Position: CB
College: University of Central Florida
Personal History
Josh Robinson was born in Sunrise, Florida on January 8th, 1991 to Shirley and Johnny Robinson. He attended Plantation High School in Florida and was an integral part of the school’s football program, excelling at receiver, cornerback and returning kicks. Robinson enjoyed being at receiver the most because he just wanted to have his hands on the ball.
Robinson chose to attend the University of Central Florida, turning down various scholarship offers from other schools, including Michigan, Clemson, South Florida and Auburn. Robinson has said that he chose to go to UCF because of the location and the fact that they allowed him to play multiple positions and have playing time immediately. Robinson studied Criminal Justice in school with aspirations of someday being involved with SWAT.
It goes without saying that Robinson had a very successful career at UCF. Throughout college, he received a multitude of accolades, awards and honors. Throughout his college tenure, he started in 35 of 38 games for the Knights. In the 2011 season, Robinson “earned second-team All-American honors from The NFL Draft Report and was named All-Conference USA first-team by the league’s coaches…”
Robinson’s favorite NFL player, Brian Dawkins, is the reason the young cornerback chooses to wear the number 20. When asked in a 2009 interview what professional team he would want to play the most in the future, Robinson responded, “I would like to play against the Eagles because I want to pick off McNabb.” (Sorry Josh, interceptions can’t bounce off the ground first…)
Welcome to part two of our ten part series called “Welcome to the Big Show” where we give you an in-depth look into each of the Vikings ten Draft selections of 2012. Brett did a fine job handling Part One, a look at Matt Kalil, and now we move onto our other first round pick, Harrison Smith.
PERSONAL HISTORY
Born on Groundhog’s Day in 1989, Harrison Smith grew up as an extremely gifted athlete.
From a young age, adults took notice of Smith’s leadership abilities and willingness to include everyone. His mother received calls from summer camp counselors telling stories of Smith comforting kids through the night as they cried from being homesick, and often including other kids in activities even when other children considered them outcasts.
Smith went to high school at Knoxville Catholic where he was a do-it-all player. Heck, he was even a solid basketball player. He ran wild as a running back, was a gifted receiver, and showed prowess on defense, and even averaged 14 yards per punt return as a senior. In 2006, he was selected as Tennessee’s Gatorade Football Player of the Year.
Having grown up at a Catholic school with a strict dress code, Smith got to Notre Dame and let his hair grow out. While drawing comparisons by some to Justin Bieber, he preferred the Scooby Doo comparisons and embraced the “Shaggy” role when Halloween rolled around.
He was a four star athlete coming out high school, with some schools envisioning him on offense and some wanting him to play defense. With offers on the table from a number of schools that included Tennessee, Auburn, and Alabama, Smith ended up choosing Notre Dame. His decision not to play for Tennessee ended up seeing his family be semi-spurned in their hometown.
At Notre Dame, he graduated from Mendoza College of Business with a management-entrepreneurship degree and enrolled in a graduate studies program.
[Note: "Welcome To The Big Show" is a series where we will take an in-depth look at each of the Vikings draft selections this year. Every day will feature a new player and analysis.]
Name: Matt Kalil
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 306 lbs.
Position: OT
College: USC
Football runs in Kalil’s blood. Both his father were studs in college and went on to have NFL careers (Frank Kalil was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1982 and his brother, Ryan Kalil, plays for the Carolina Panthers). Since high school, Matt Kalil has really excelled at football garnering honors and accolades from his earliest days at Serrvite High School in Anaheim, California until his last snap at USC. Outside of his football career, Kalil majored in Sociology at USC.
40 Yard Dash: 4.99 sec.
Bench Press: 30 reps (225 lb
Vertical Jump: 27”
3 Cone Drill: 7.33 sec.
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.65 sec.
Reported Wonderlic Score: 15
Strengths:
+ Dominant pass protector
+ Huge frame to grow in to
+ No durability issues
+ Quick feet
+ Athletic
+ Great technique
+ Experienced
+ Ready to play in NFL
+ NFL bloodlines
Weaknesses:
- Could improve run blocking
- Needs more power/strength
Despite the smokescreens put up by General Manager Rick Spielman and the Vikings front office, it’s been well-known that the Vikings would select Matt Kalil with their first selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. Thanks to the smart maneuvering of Spielman, the Vikings were also able to swap spots with the Cleveland Browns (who had the #4 selection) and still select Kalil, gaining three additional 2012 picks in the process. Generally, Kalil’s selection is received well by fans who understand that protecting sophomore quarterback Christian Ponder is crucial to the future of this franchise. Kalil was considered by many to be the best non-quarterback in this draft class so it makes sense he was the first selection by the Vikings who had such a huge need at the left tackle position.
Walterfootball.com
FFToolbox.com
Draft Countdown
Sideline Scouting
“Not so much of a concern, but I’m more anxious for the opportunity to compete at the highest level which is the NFL. I’m excited to go against the best defensive end in the NFL day in and day out in Jared Allen. I think he is definitely going to make me a better player and to go against a lot of other good defensive ends in the NFL. I think it’s more excitement for the challenge to really test my skills.”‘ – Matt Kalil
“I’m low key. Even though I’m from L.A. and Hollywood, that doesn’t represent my personality at all. I kind of like to hang out with my friends, play a lot of football, that’s what I love to do. My dream car is a Ford truck, a brand new Ford F-150. That’s the kind of guy I am and I also love to be a good teammate and a good family man.” – Matt Kalil
“I was pretty confident but with the draft, you never know what happens. When I first got into the green room and the pick started being traded and stuff, I didn’t know what to expect. When that pick came in, I was just staring at my phone, praying a Minnesota number would pop up and all of a sudden it started vibrating and ended up being picked there. I was excited. I think this is probably one of the only places I really wanted to play and could see myself playing so it is pretty crazy being here.” – Matt Kalil
“When you look at all the All-Pro left tackles today, Jake Long, Joe Thomas, those guys aren’t any more than 315 pounds and if you’re going against guys like Jared Allen, James Harrison, Dwight Freeney, those fast guys, you can’t be that heavy to keep up with them. It’s almost smart to be really strong but also have enough weight to handle those bull rushes but I think this is a game of speed and quickness so I think you have to have more quickness over how heavy you are.” – Matt Kalil
Matt Kalil is expected to be an immediate starter at the Vikings left tackle position, allowing Charlie Johnson to be moved one spot to the right to left guard. The expectations both the Vikings staff and fans have for Kalil are incredibly high. Many expect him to be a pro-bowl caliber tackle who is with the team for many years to come.
Brett’s Grade: A+
Adam’s Grade: A+
The Vikings made two trades during the first round of the Draft on Day One. Then, on Day Two, they didn’t budge. Now that Day Three came and went, however, we have two more trades to analyze and break down.
Minnesota was rich with draft choices entering the third day of the Draft with nine total. Fans thought this indicated the team would be willing to package picks together to move up and grab the appropriately coveted players. This turned out not to be the case, but the team did show a willingness to make an investment in their future by snagging picks for next year’s Draft.
This could be a good approach, as the team is highly unlikely to receive any 2013 compensatory picks because of how free agency played out this year. We’ll break down each trade from a “point value” standpoint, referencing each against the Jerry Johnson Trade Chart as well as the Harvard Trade Chart, both of which are posted and explained on this page.
Vikings Trade Fifth Rounder (#138) and Seventh Rounder (#223) To Lions for Seventh Rounder (#219) and a 2013 Fourth Rounder
Jimmy Johnson Trade Chart: This pegs the Vikings fifth rounder as being worth 37 points and the seventh rounder as being worth 3.3 points, for a total worth of 40.3 points. The future fourth rounder from the Lions can be given an estimated value of about 35 points. Meanwhile, their seventh rounder carried a value of 4.8 points which puts the total value of their package at 39.8 points. This means the Lions came out ahead by 0.5 points. Pretty darn close.
The caveat here, however, is that the value of that fourth rounder received from the Lions will only grow as the 2013 Draft draws nearer. According to the chart, fourth round selections can be worth anywhere from 112 to 44 points on Draft Day.
Harvard Trade Chart: The post-CBA chart puts the Vikings fifth rounder at a value of 70.3 points and their seventh rounder at 40.2 points. Meanwhile, the Lions seventh rounder would carry a point value of 41.8 points and the future fourth rounder would be worth approximately 43.35 points. That means the Vikings gave up 110.5 points while receiving only 85.15. That fourth rounder could end up being worth anywhere from 76 to 98 points next offseason, however, all on its own.
Vikings Trade Seventh Rounder (#211) To Titans for a 2013 Sixth Rounder
Jimmy Johnson Trade Chart: The Vikings pick carried a point value of 8 points. A sixth rounder would be estimated at a value of 11 points. The Vikings come out ahead on that trade from a points standpoint. The value of that sixth rounder would be anywhere from 28 to 15 points by this time next year.
Harvard Trade Chart: According to this chart, the pick given up by the Vikings was worth about 36.3 points. The sixth rounder they received was worth an estimated 25.45 points. Once again, however, that investment is expected to grow and the sixth rounder should end up being worth between 44 and 58 points next year.
Here is the rundown so far:
FOURTH ROUND
#118 Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas: Often compared to Percy Harvin from a skill set standpoint, Wright offers some much needed speed to this offense and could end up being quite the playmaker. Expect to see him contribute most on special teams as a return man through his rookie season.
#128 Rhett Ellison, FB/TE, USC: Matt Kalil’s teammate at USC could end up trying to fill Jim Kleinsasser’s shoes as a versatile blocker, rounding out the depth chart at tight end. This could spell trouble for the many various fullbacks on this roster already.
#134 Greg Childs, WR, Arkansas: Apparently Rick Spielman was impressed with Arkansas’ receivers this year. Childs represents a very solid value here and could look to compete for a starting gig from the get-go. A real Height-Weight-Speed prospect that could end up dominating.
FIFTH ROUND
#139 Robert Blanton, CB/S, Notre Dame: Probably off the roster right away unless he transitions successfully to safety. Blanton, a teammate of Harrison Smith, is not going to blow anyone away physically but he has some experience and leadership abilities. I think this was a reach and he will struggle to find a roster spot as a special teams guy.
SIXTH ROUND
#175 Blair Walsh, K, Georgia: With Greg Zuerlin going just a few picks ahead of them, this pick smells like panic to me. Walsh had a horrible senior campaign and while I was a fan of finding a replacement for Ryan Longwell, I don’t have any confidence that Walsh can be that guy. A huge reach.
SEVENTH ROUND
#210: Audie Cole, LB, North Carolina Sate: The Vikings got a lot of value here, as Cole could have gone much higher than this. He is a talented linebacker that, even from the seventh round, could provide competition with Jasper Brinkley. He has better range.
#219: Trevor Guyton, DE, Cal: It doesn’t seem like Guyton has a super high ceiling, but he could prove to be a solid depth player. A sure tackler with some burst off the line.
After a Thursday that was all about the trades, Rick Spielman and the Vikings stayed patient with their lone second day pick.
At 66th overall, the Vikings decided to select Central Florida cornerback Josh Robinson who weighs in at 5’ 10” and 199 pounds.
Robinson figures to fit in well as a zone coverage corner, with great speed and consistent tackling abilities. He has matched up real good against solid receivers in college, most notably A.J. Green.
He was the fastest of all players at the Scouting Combine and looked quite fluid in the other drills, too.
We will have more coming soon on this pick.
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