Categories: NFL Draft 2012
| On 12 years ago

#MockThree: Give Us Your Grades

By Brett Anderson

If you haven’t been following along, Vikings Territory has had the pleasure of participating in an online, community mock draft called #MockThree. Essentially, it is a real-time draft where real people represent their favorite teams. It was an absolute blast and we are actually already doing it again with #MockFour. (We are the General Managers this time.)

I’ve tried to give everyone here a look into our war room for #MockThree with a few posts discussing the who, what and why of our various selections throughout the draft. If you missed them, go read about the first round, the second and third round, the fourth round and then the final rounds. Come back when you’re done!

For all of you that followed along (Or those who don’t want to and, instead, just want to be a critic!) we would now like you to grade our efforts and tell us what you think of our haul overall. So, here’s what we walked away with:

Round 1
1.03 – LT Matt Kalil, USC
Trade – 2.03, 4.03 and 6.03 for Bengals 1.21
1.21 – CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama

Round 3
3.03 – S Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State

Round 4
4.33 – WR Nick Toon, Wisconsin
4.39 – ILB James-Michael Johnson, Nevada

Round 5
5.03 – WR Jarius Wright, Arkansas

Round 7
7.03 – DT Jaye Howard, Florida
7.16 – K Greg Zuerlein, Missouri Western State

Personally, I think we did a great job and went a long way in addressing this team’s needs with valuable players. Of course, I’m biased though. So we would love to hear from you on how we did. Take the polls below and drop us your criticisms/questions (praise?!) in the comments. Also, make sure to visit the #MockOne website and support those guys. They’ve created something really fun that gives fans like us something to entertain ourselves with.

 

 

Brett Anderson

Brett Anderson (Founder) is a passionate Viking fan hailing from Sin City, Las Vegas. He can remember, as a child, scraping his knee on the playground and his friends being completely shocked by the purple blood trickling from the wound. When Brett isn't scouring the Internet for some semblance of Vikings news, he enjoys blindly putting money on them to beat whoever their opponent may be, and daydreams about being their next Tight End. Brett graduated from UNLV with a degree in Architecture and specializes in web/graphic design; he hopes to provide this site’s visitors with the best Vikings experience on the net.

Tags: #MockThree

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  • I had to give you an A Brett. I dont watch much college ball or look at any film but you did a great job of explaining your reasons and I'd be happy as hell with the picks you guys made. Excellent work young man!

    • Thanks Johnny! We're doing another one now so I'm sure we'll have more to report. It's a lot of fun.

      • Keep up the good work Brett it's sure fun to read all the different scenarios and opinions too. Can they just start the draft already and put an end to all the speculation? lol!

  • I liked the draft. With the trade up I would have rather a WR (Floyd or Hill). Then in the 3rd gone after a DB Minnifield, Norman, Fleming, or Martin (although Allen from S. Car. went in 4 and Jackson in 5th, I don't think there's a big drop off between the three, so maybe could have waited on S. I like Toon, watched many WI. games and I think he's good. Not breakaway speed and didn't seem to break many tackles, but really good hands. Kinda like Mike Jenkins ( who we already have). Which is my argument for taking Floyd or Hill. After the intial run of WR's they all seem like good to really good #2's, Although I think Streeter could pay off big with some work. Now I'm rambling. I also think it's important to get Ponder a #1 ASAP to develop chemistry with. I think it takes longer for a QB/WR combo to gel than a new DB, so I would wait until next draft to go DB in 1st or 2nd. In the 4th could go DT, LB, WR, OL. Ideally like a Chapman AL., Cole NC St., A.J. Jenkins IL Toon WI, Kelemite WA Compton SD. I like the Wright pick a lot, or maybe Owsu Stan., Moss SD. I'd like to take a returner late (5th/6th) to help rest Harvin and definitely rest Sherrels. In the 7th I like the Howard pick. He seems like a high motor guy, like Hovan a decade, or more, ago. There were several DBs selected I would take a flyer on as well like Guy KY., Ihenacho SJSU, Sensabaugh Clem. It's always easier to go back after someone and say if you waited you could have gotten so-so. I think you did well and I would be ok with this draft. Like I said I would go WR before DB especially if moving up. With that said I like the mock drafts and discussing college players. As always keep up the good work and Skol Vikings!

    • I agree about getting Ponder a #1 ASAP. 2012 is Ponder's season. We have to give him the tools to see if he can legitimately be our quarterback of the future.

      Thanks for the call the other day, Tom. Enjoyed talking.

  • Matt Kalil - A+
    Sometimes the best moves require the least thought

    Dre Kirkpatrick - A
    I personally don't like the idea of trading up, but this deal would've been too good to pass up. Getting the 2nd best CB in the draft and only giving up a 4th (which we have 2 extra) and a 6th to move up is a steal. Good move.

    Markelle Martin - B
    This is a very weak safety class, so Martin could easily turn out to be one of the better safeties coming out. Injury concerns worry me, and probably will never be a Pro Bowl level safety, but would be a starter day one for sure.

    Nick Toon - B-
    I'm not a huge Nick Toon fan, but we do need to upgrade our receiving core. The way the receivers flew off the board, I feel this could've been a bit of a panic selection.

    James Michael Johnson - C
    This grade isn't a reflection on JMJ, but rather the fact a far superior player at the same position was passed up in Tank Carter (in my opinion).

    Jarius Wright - A
    Love this pick. Wright is a perfect fit for the Vikings. He'd be a perfect inside reciever and can help out on special teams. Great value.

    Jaye Howard - F
    Don't see a need for a pass rushing DT with the current roster. It's just a 7th round pick, but would've rather seen LB depth that could offer something on special teams.

    Greg Zuerlein - A+
    An upgrade on Longwell wouldn't hurt, so getting the best kicker in the draft with our last pick was icing on the cake.

    Overall - B+
    The first round was huge and we got some good players later on. Didn't love the 4th round, but all in all, if this was our draft, I'd be very satisfied.

    • You make a good point about the Jaye Howard pick. Glad you like the rest of our picks so much though! You going to join us for our live chat on draft day? Would love to have you there.

      • Definitely going to be here on the draft day chat. Have the entire draft off, so going to park my ass on the couch and watch all 7 glorious rounds. I'm hoping the feed gets better though, I hated last year how you knew every pick in the first round before it happened. Would be so much more exciting to watch if they stopped trying to be the first to get the news and left the suspense up to the commish. I hate when the NFL Network announces the picks!!

  • grading the talent per pick:

    Kalil A+ easy pick but still a good one.

    Dre Kirkpatrick: A He is a great CB and plays great in zone.. something the vikings do once in a while I've heard. (only an A because it did leave us without picks in some rounds, but he was a great talent)

    Markelle Martin A- Think he is a great safety and god knows vikings could needs some good once back there.. Or just someone at all.

    Nick Toon C - Don't think he fits what the vikings are looking for in a WR, but he was solid value at the spot.

    JMJ: B- think he was a great pick, but Tank was still on the board, and I liked what I saw from him, but not a bad pick, adds depth and competetion and could be a solid guy going forward.

    Jarius Wright B+ a poor mans percy harvin and in the 6th round that was a good pick.. He could take kickoffs / punts from harvin and also contribute to the team that way.. plus percy will most likely get some kind of injury..

    Jaye Howard. D- Think we already have ballard and K.w in this spot..Would rather see more depth to our LB core.

    Greg Zuerlein C - I think he would have cone undrafted and I think Longwell would be better this year and I doubt we will keep both, but in the 7 rounds not a bad pick

    Overall grade: B+ Got the most glaring needs filled early (LT, CB and S) which I think was a really great addition.. Lacked a bit in WR but I can live with that.

    • Thanks, Malte! Great to have your opinion. Yeah, Zuerlein probably would have gone undrafted... but I'm not sure how that works. If you miss out on them in the draft, they can go wherever they please then, right? He may have choose to somewhere other than us? If we draft him, he doesn't have a choice! :)

  • 1.3. Matt Kalil: Kalil is a great pick but at the same time he is a given so I say B
    1.21. Dre Kirkpatrick: Cpt. Kirk is one of the better corners in this draft and we need him bad, BUT Janoris Jenkins was on the board who I view as a better prospect. Trades are tricky and this is not a bad selection but could have been better, along with going up 3 more spots to get Floyd. C
    3.3 Markelle Martin: Most people love this pick, I am not one of those people. Martin has too many mistakes, dropped interceptions, a few blown coverages, no real impact plays and doesn't seem to have the "it" factor. D+
    4.33 Nick Toon. I like the Toon pick, He is not a number 1 reciever but he could be a solid number 2, and replace Jenkins soon. B+
    4.39 James-Michael Johnson: JMJ is my least favorite pick of this draft. I don't believe he was the BPA or even the BPA at his position. I think he was picked 2 rounds early and not scouted very well. F
    5.03 Jarius Wright: Before your draft I hadn't even looked at wright, now I am hoping we draft him. B+
    7.03 Jaye Howard: He doesn't seem to fill a need and in the latter rounds I would draft for need more than BPA. C-
    7.16 Greg Zuerlein: This means Longwell is gone eh? Well Zuerlein is hard to pronounce and spell so that means he will be a good kicker right? B+

    Overall C-
    I loved a few of the picks (Kalil, Zuerlein, Wright), was ok with a few (Toon, Kirk, Howard), and would be upset if the Vikings drafted a few (Martin, JMJ). Kalil is too obvious to give real points for even tho I love the pick. Toon, Kirk and Howard could all be good, not sure I would have made the same choices but I don't oppose them. Martin and JMJ were what kept this from being a B in my book. All in all Not bad tho

    • even though I know you say Kalil is too simple to give point for. There are people who think vikings should pick Claiborne over Kalil, and also a lot of people think vikings should trade down instead.. There for even though it seems simple I think is a good choice

    • Adam wanted us to go after Tank Carder instead of JMJ. It just didn't happen though... Our GM really liked JMJ and I got my way with the prior pick of Nick Toon. Couldn't help that one.

      For the record though: Yes, I would have taken Carder over JMJ.

      Thanks for the detailed comment man! Much appreciated. You planning on joining us for our live draft chat?

  • Wow, guys. Thanks for the very detailed grading. Awesome to see you guys so into this! Hope you are all here for our live chat on the actual draft day!

  • I gave it a B. Got a lot of good talent and went after every position of need. Didn't get a #1 WR option, but the depth at WR needs to be upgraded too and can't take care of every need the Vikings have with one draft.
    I love Kalil (of course) and I like that you went after a top corner to lock out that spot. Signed a lot of one year contracts at corner and there is no telling how well they will do or if they will even be on the roster next year. Kirkpatrick is an ideal Cover2 CB and gives us another big option opposite Cook, so teams can't move their bigger WRs around to avoid a matchup against a big physical CB.

    Not sure why Tank Carder gets so much love here. They are about the same size only JMJ is faster, stronger, and longer than Carder. He was also more productive (30 more tackles, more TFLs, more sacks). The only thing Cader has over JMJ is one more INT. What is it that you all love about him so much? You do realize his name doesn't actually mean he is a tank right? :)

    • Carder comes from a better program, is more of a natural leader. He has (in my opinion) better instincts, though I'll admit I haven't seen much of JMJ, and from what I could tell at the combine, it far less stiff in the hips. I wouldn't look too much into production considering the level of competition is clearly higher for Carder.

      • I guess I fail to see how the Mountain West is that much better than the WAC. Outside of Boise State (Who lost to Nevada in 2010 JMJ in that game: 6 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 FF)/TCU there is nothing in the MWC. The WAC has sent more teams to bowls than MWC (Fresno State/Nevada/Hawaii/LaTech/Utah State). Just not seeing the "clearly higher level of competition".