Opinion

Welcome To The Big Show: Xavier Rhodes

April 28, 2013, by 2 comments

We continue to formally introduce you to our newest Vikings with our in-depth series.  If you missed the one on Sharrif Floyd then click here to read all about our new defensive tackle.

Up next is someone we had identified as a possible Vikings target months ago.  Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes did indeed end up being the Vikings second selection in 2013.

XAVIER RHODES, CB, FLORIDA STATE

ATTRIBUTES

Height:  6′ 1″

Weight:  210 pounds

Arm Length:  33 3/4″

Hand Size:  9″

COMBINE RESULTS

Rhodes tested very well at the NFL’s Scouting Combine, but he did struggle in the positional skills, which is something you don’t see discussed in the media as much the forty times and bench press numbers.  Despite his big frame he ran the 11th fastest forty yard dash of all the defensive backs at the event.  Both his broad jump and vertical jump tied for the best at in Indy, while his bench press totals were adequately average.

Forty:  4.43 seconds

Bench:  14 reps

Vertical:  40.5″

Broad Jump:  132″

PRO DAY RESULTS

Rhodes did not partake in any timed drills at the Florida State Pro Day, but scouts came away still impressed with the speed and quickness they saw from him at both events.  Still, reviews from his Pro Day were in consensus regarding how the big corner can have trouble with changing direction quickly and how tight he can be in the hips.  A lot of reports preceding the draft indicated that this event confirmed his inability to succeed in zone coverage, which has to be at least a little concerning to Vikings fans.

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Your 2013 NFL Draft Class

April 28, 2013, by 21 comments

While we wait for official word on whether or not Cris Carter’s son Duran rounds out our undrafted free agent class, I realized that I have yet to put all of our draft picks in one spot for you all.  Here is your 2013 Vikings Draft Class with a little tidbit about each one:

SHARRIF FLOYD, DT, FLORIDA – FIRST ROUND – PICK #23

A versatile player that will immediately make the Vikings more able to keep their defensive line rotation fresh for a full 60 minutes.  He is best suited for under tackle, and will probably succeed Kevin Williams next offseason, but he can also contribute at the defensive end spot on running downs and at nose tackle on passing downs if the coaches see fit.  Many view Floyd as the steal of the first round.

XAVIER RHODES, CB, FLORIDA STATE – FIRST ROUND – PICK #25

A press corner with great size and physicality, plus a nice vertical leap.  If Chris Cook can stay healthy, and out of trouble, then Rhodes could finally give the Vikings a formidable duo on the outside of their secondary.  If both are on the field at the same time, and Rhodes lives up to his expectations, then the Vikings are expected to be more aggressive when it comes to getting after the quarterback.

CORDARRELLE PATTERSON, WR, TENNESSEE – FIRST ROUND – PICK #29

After sending a boatload of picks to New England, the Vikings moved up to snag their third first round pick, the raw wide out from Tennessee.  Patterson is perhaps the most physically gifted wide out in this class, and my favorite thing about him is how well he does after the catch, but he is expected to need some coaching and time before realizing his full potential.  Expect him to play a role similar to what Percy Harvin played in the offense last year, as well as a possible return man, but he also has the size to be a more consistent presence on the outside and down the field.

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The Best Of The Rest: Day Three

April 27, 2013, by 4 comments

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.

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Welcome To The Big Show: Sharrif Floyd

April 26, 2013, by 3 comments

With three first round picks already in the fold, and another two days of the Draft left to play out, I am dusting of the ol’ “Welcome To The Big Show” feature which will detail each of our selections.

SHARRIF FLOYD, DT, FLORIDA

Attributes

Floyd possesses a great mix of size and athleticism which will help him continue to be a versatile player as his career moves to the next level.  He possesses a nice arsenal of pass rush moves and a very quick first step that could help the Vikings move the pocket against opposing offenses.

Height:  6’3″

Weight:  297 pounds

Arm Length:  31 3/4″

Hand Size:  10 1/8″

Combine Results

Forty:  4.92 seconds

Vertical Jump:  30″

Broad Jump:  106″

3-Cone:  7.40 seconds

20-Yard Shuttle:  4.75 seconds

Pro Day Results

Floyd reportedly “tweaked” his ankle at the NFL’s Scouting Combine and he did not participate in Florida’s March 12th Pro Day.  Ten days later he drew representatives from 14 NFL teams to a rescheduled workout where he put on an impressive display.  Floyd chose to stand on his Combine numbers in regards to the timed drills, but he impressed onlookers by going through drill after drill with a certain tenaciousness.

“I wasn’t going to stop until he told me to stop,” Floyd said of the position drills. “I wasn’t going to say, ‘I’m done.’”

Floyd’s pro day was one of many positive steps in his pre-Draft regimen that had analysts believing he was a top-five prospect.

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A Final Mock On The Final Day

April 25, 2013, by 41 comments

I’m going to be honest with you, I’ve just about thrown in the towel on the whole mock draft thing this year.

It isn’t for a lack of preparation.   It isn’t a lack of confidence in my evaluations.  It isn’t for a lack of reading “this will 100% happen” or “there is no way that happens” from various media outlets or from fans.  It certainly isn’t for a lack of caring.

I just find this draft class to be so incredibly unpredictable.  The lack of quarterback talent will test teams with the need for a new one.  The incredible depth at the defensive line and secondary positions makes it very hard to stack the talent with any conviction.  With the Vikings now having two first round picks to work with, and a roster with plenty of needs, their draft possibilities seem even more endless than usual.

Setting all that aside, however, I now present you with my final 2013 NFL Mock Draft with just hours to go until the real thing goes down tonight.

I have decided to give the Vikings a well-known linebacker and an often-mocked defensive tackle, and the results in full can be seen right here.

Get ready for a wild evening, Vikes fans!  We’ll be here all night to give insight and opinions as the action unfolds.

Don’t touch that channel!

2013 Mock Draft (Brett’s Final Version)

April 23, 2013, by 14 comments

Here we are less than 48 hours away from the greatest stretch of three days throughout the entire offseason and I can’t sleep. Obviously, I’m referring to the 2013 NFL Draft which takes place this Thursday evening. And unfortunately, the absence of sleep isn’t due to excitement regarding our two first round picks… It’s due to a nasty case of bronchitis and a sinus infection that leaves me coughing throughout the night. So, bear with me as I walk you through my third and final mock draft of the offseason and attempt to explain some of the decisions I’ve made (of which are bound to make at least a few Vikings fans squirm).

First, yes, I still do have Geno Smith going in the top 5. In fact, I have two quarterbacks being taken in the top 10. Here’s why and I’ve said it before: People can say anything they want about the lack of talent and a true franchise QB in this year’s draft but the truth is that teams over and over again have showed us that, on draft day, they are more than willing to reach on a quarterback that they think even has a remote chance of righting the ship (regardless of how delusional that thought may be).

Geno Smith to the Eagles isn’t that crazy. Their is a new head coach there who is going to be looking for someone that can run his new, fast-pace offense. Michael Vick is past his prime and has become a turnover machine. The Eagles selecting Smith and having the two face off in camp seems to make sense to me (and a few other people).

The next quarterback I have being taken (by the Buffalo Bills) also makes sense. The obvious connection with Nassib and coach Doug Marone is there from their time together at Syracuse. But, more than that, the Bills need to create competition at the quarterback position and it’s not a guarantee their guy (assumedly Nassib) will be there when they select in the second round. It’s possible, yes. But, unless they can somehow trade down, would not be surprised at all with this pick.

Alright, let’s get on to the important part, shall we? Our selections.

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Draft Week Is Here: The Pretend-To-Know Time Is Almost Up

April 22, 2013, by 45 comments

The NFL Draft has the same allure as a record Powerball jackpot.

Men (and some women) from around the globe converge onto the internet for about 11 and a half months to try an predict, analyze, and grade the next year of fresh prospects.  We follow their every move, chart their plays, scour police blotters, and argue about their potential all the way up until their names are called… and then some more.

I’m not going to say that analysts, bloggers, or fans know nothing about these prospects.  They know quite a bit, actually, and it really is impressive how much more the common man knows about Tyrann Mathieu’s pee than he knows about… oh, we’ll go with Darfur here in order to maintain my long and proud tradition of being completely cliche.

While we know quite a bit about these prospects, and know even more about the rosters that make up our favorite teams, the truth is that the ultimate reality show that is the NFL Draft process gets it’s appeal from the fact that it is almost completely, utterly, 100 percent unpredictable.  Outside of some obvious top three picks, the only thing that is predictable about the NFL Draft is that it will be unpredictable (see, cliche after cliche, I can’t help myself).

Now, I have been predicting all offseason long that the Vikings would aim to select Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o in the first round of this week’s Draft, and wavered on that prediction only momentarily between Percy Harvin’s departure from Minnesota and Greg Jennings’ arrival.

That is why I was shocked to see someone much older, much more experienced, and someone that is supposed to be much wiser than me make a bold and perhaps foolish statement.

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