NFL Draft 2012

Longwell’s Release Leaves A Spielman-Shaped Mark

May 8, 2012, by 2 comments

After a long day of work, I was expecting to settle into my laptop and try to motivate myself to write about my two least favorite subjects to cover:  Stadiums & Politics.

Of course, that is all big and important news, but luckily there is some actual football activity to discuss, as well, albeit bitter-sweet.

As Brett mentioned earlier, Ryan Longwell was released by the Vikings and he made a very gracious statement to fans about his time in Minnesota.

Now, on the surface, the move can make little sense.  He has been a special teams captain.  He has been a leader.  He has been one of the most reliable field goal kickers in the NFL.  He has been classy.  He is charitable.

He has been a very well liked Viking for six seasons.

Plus, last offseason, the Vikings gave Longwell a four year deal worth $12 million, with $3.5 million in guarantees.

However, as I eluded to back in February (I even mention Blair Walsh by name), the writing has been on the wall for a while now.

Longwell is a 38 year old kicker on a team that is rebuilding.  His kickoffs averaged 64.8 yards (21st in the NFL), his 19 touchbacks (23rd in the NFL) were a career high but mainly the result of a rule change, and his 79% field goal accuracy (26th in the NFL) were all stats that suggested that not only was Longwell’s leg strength beginning to greatly lack but that his skills were also degrading in general.

There is an old adage in NFL front offices that goes something like this: “It is better to give up on a player one year too early than one year too late.”

The Vikings had the chance, last offseason, to part ways with Longwell at exactly the right time but instead will be parting with him one year too late.

Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN, suggests that the move to extend Longwell last offseason was possibly a result of Leslie Frazier still having a say in the final roster and now that Rick Spielman has full control he was able to impose his will on the kicker position.

Zulgad calls it a reminder that Spielman will not hesitate to “retool” this roster regardless of what it means for the win column in 2012.

I would argue that the move makes sense for not only the future, but for 2012, too.  The Vikings may not be able to rely on the young Blair Walsh on clutch kicks until he proves otherwise, but they should put their defense in a much better position on a regular basis via Walsh’s strong leg pinning opponents deeper into their own territory.  The stronger leg will help the field position battle on a regular basis, which will help both the offense and the defense, and the hope will be he can eventually also develop into a trustworthy field goal kicker.

The Vikings should probably sign another kicker to provide Walsh with some competition, and to have another leg for special teams reps in training camp, but it is clear that the Vikings feel confident in his abilities to replace Longwell not only in the future, but right now.

WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW: Rhett Ellison

May 5, 2012, by 4 comments

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.

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Welcome To The Big Show: Josh Robinson

May 2, 2012, by 1 comment

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.

Welcome To The Big Show: 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…)

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Vikings Trim Two To Fit Incoming Rookies

May 2, 2012, by 1 comment

The Vikings selected ten players in the 2012 NFL Draft last weekend and immediately agreed to terms with 15 undrafted free agents.

With Caleb King having already been released, the Vikings announced another pair of cuts on Wednesday.

The team has waived tight end Daniel Hardy and guard Butch Lewis.  Neither had ever appeared in a regular season game with the Vikings and both seemed to have incredibly long odds of landing a full time role with the team.

The Vikings now have 65 players on the roster, so once all the rookies are signed, they will be at the roster maximum of 90 players.

The Inseparable Pair: Vikings Newest Receivers

May 1, 2012, by 4 comments

Almost everyone has that childhood friend that they’ve known all the way back to elementary school. You grew up down the block from each other and played every day together until the porch lights came on. Because of your close proximity, you also went to elementary school, middle school and then eventually high school together. You had the same teachers and the same friends. You even graduated together. Typically, though, that’s where it ends. Not many childhood friends, especially ones you went to grade school with, end up attending the same universities. At some point, you part ways for various reasons and go on without that childhood friend by your side every step of the way.

That is what makes the story of wide receivers Jarius Wright and Greg Childs so incredibly fascinating.

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WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW: Harrison Smith

May 1, 2012, by 13 comments

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.

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Welcome To The Big Show: Matt Kalil

April 30, 2012, by 4 comments

[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.]

Welcome To The Big Show: Matt Kalil

1. Player Info

Name: Matt Kalil
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 306 lbs.
Position: OT
College: USC

2. Personal History

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.

3. The Attributes

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

4. Skills

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

5. College Highlights

6. The Selection

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.

7. Scouting Reports

Walterfootball.com
FFToolbox.com
Draft Countdown
Sideline Scouting

8. Quotes

“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

9. Where He Fits

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.

10. Vikings Territory Grades

Brett’s Grade: A+
Adam’s Grade: A+