Vikings Day Three Haul – Quick Reactions
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.