Categories: NFL Draft 2016
| On 9 years ago

Five Thoughts on Day Three of the Draft

By Sam Neumann

1. Moritz!

Yes indeed, the prophecy has come true. I’m not going to say we called it, because…well, technically we didn’t. We only passed along the news that the Vikings had interest in German receiver Moritz Boehringer, and that turned out to be the truth, as the team selected him in the sixth round. This is awesome for the following reasons:

  1. He’s German. Boehringer previously played for the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns of the German Football League, and while I’ve done no research on the matter, I’m fairly confident he’s the first player to be drafted from Schwäbisch Hall.
  2. His measurables are insane. Check out this chart that made the rounds on Twitter Saturday:

    Image via mockdraftable.com

    A lot to digest, and a little confusing at first glance, but to simplify, the more gray area on the chart, the better. Yes, he’s raw, but any receiver who is 6’4″, 227 lbs, and runs a 4.4 second 40 is worth a late round flier.

  3. This is going to get completely insufferable between now and the start of the season with all the profiles, articles, and tweets. The Vikings beat writers will be inundated with constant requests for daily updates on his progress. It will all be completely irrational, and for that reason it will be great.
  4. There is real intrigue here. Not only if he will pan out in the long run, but how the team will handle it in the short run. Right now, the receiver position looks like this: Diggs, Johnson, Patterson, Thielen, Treadwell, Wright. Add Boehringer, and that makes seven. Highly unlikely the team rosters seven receivers. Will they try to sneak him through to the practice squad (a considerable risk considering they invested a draft pick)? The odd man out would seem to be Thielen, but he adds more on special teams than anyone else in the group. And it doesn’t seem like they’re ready to cut bait on Patterson quite yet. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.

2. T.J. Clemmings is now a left tackle.

Sometime late in the day came this news from Mike Zimmer: second-year man T.J. Clemmings will move from right to left tackle, presumably to back up (and eventually compete with and/or replace) Matt Kalil.

This move makes sense, as it will balance the line and at the very least provide a competent backup to Kalil. With Andre Smith the presumed starter at right tackle and Phil Loadholt still in the mix, Clemmings would be buried at his old position. This also strikes me as a vote of confidence that Loadholt will be able to play a role, be it backup or spot starter, after his season-ending injury.

3. A man named Willie Beavers.

The only thing I know for sure about Vikings fourth round pick Willie Beavers is he has an excellent name. Aside from that, he’s big (6’4″, 324 lbs), and he should serve as a depth/developmental player on the offensive line. Beavers played tackle in college, but per the previous Goessling tweet, he’ll most likely be a guard for the Vikings. Our resident analyst, Carl Knowles, thinks Beavers needs to get stronger in his upper body, but has the flexibility to play anywhere along the line. The most likely scenario right away is the Vikings groom Beavers at right guard.

4. Finally, a safety.

Many of us were clamoring for a safety as early as round one (and for most, not later than round three). The Vikings took a while to acquiesce, but they did take a safety eventually, with their last pick of draft. Minnesota selected Jayron Kearse with the 23rd pick in the seventh round. Kearse is the nephew of former Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse, and cousin of cornerback Phillip Buchanan. Bloodlines, good enough for me.

Kearse will get a chance to compete for a roster spot. But the 2016 starter at safety alongside Harrison Smith will almost certainly be newly signed Michael Griffin or fan favorite Andrew Sendejo.

5. That’s a wrap.

After three days of drafting, we’re all finished here. Here’s a look at the Vikings’ 2016 draft class:

  • A nice mix of offense and defense.
  • The Vikings got excellent value in the first two rounds with Treadwell and Alexander, and an intriguing developmental prospect in Boehringer.
  • TE David Morgan is another big body the team can use in jumbo packages and unbalanced lines, and he allegedly has decent receiving skills, as well.
  • Good height in the class, with five of the eight players drafted standing 6’4″.
  • I’m most excited about Treadwell, but Boehringer is a close second. He could develop into a downfield threat or be off the team by the end of training camp. The possibilities are all over the place.

Until next time, Auf Wiedersehen.

Sam Neumann

Sam Neumann is a freelance writer and lifelong Vikings apologist. He has seen his share of Vikings-related heartbreak, but believes we are united by the hope that one day that norse ship will come in. Sam is the author of three books, including the New York Times Bestseller Memoirs of a Gas Station. He lives in Denver, Colorado, and has had it with Broncos fans. You can follow him on twitter @NeumSamN.

Tags: Laquon Treadwell Moritz Boehringer phil loadholt T.J. Clemmings TJ Clemmings Willie Beavers

View Comments

  • No punter...Not even a UDFA (at least as of last I saw...) so much for competition at our weakest permission.
    Liked everybody but beavers. Seemed a huge reach at 4.....

  • Really like the latter round picks - Boehringer, Weatherly and Kearse were good finds from the 6th round on.

  • I hate the Boehringer pick when there were guys like Kenny Lawler & Charone Peake still on the board.He's big and fast,so what!! Terrell Sinkfield is big and fast,but when we signed him almost everyone said it was a waste of time because he played in the CFL,but now a guy who played in the German League is a "great pick".I don't get that.
    At least Sinkfield can return kicks so can add some value to the team,and he's the guy I hope steals the spotlight in Mankato.

    • i tend to agree and if he would have been available as a free agent, then i would have been all-in. It's a nice story and all, but i agree that it was a reach w a draft pick.

      • The pick also left me a bit baffled guys. Prior to each of the last four picks I was certain that we'd be hearing Lecompte or Hackett. Being at the bottom of the league in punting, seems like a good punter would/should be an obvious consideration. Highly unlikely that Boehringer makes the team. A good punter likely would have. MoBo isn't as much a stretch as the Polish man mountain last year, but still a player that never played college football.

  • I would have gone Andrew billings in 3rd round for depth behind Joseph who was injured and jalen mills in 4th round not beavers??? not sure how he fell to 7th round ( jalen mills) He'd be better pick then kearse at safety. Liked every pick otherwise.

      • Their last four draft picks are going to have a tough time finding a spot on the final 53 come August. I would not be surprised if none of them make it since they already have two very good blocking hybrid FB/TE's, (just ask Ole, Zach Line is the best!) already have one very good and three ok safeties that are all better than a 7th rounder, and the DE probably has the least chance of them all. So they won't be wasting a spot on them. However, since they won't be finding a spot on the final roster they were wasted picks. Either of the top two punters remaining at the end of the draft would have beat out Locke and earned a spot.

        • I disagree. The TE is Ellison insurance and competition. He'll make the team. Both the DE and safety look like practice squad guys, maybe ST guys. Teams that make deep runs in the playoffs have rosters that are well stacked, even into the practice squad. Guys get hurt, you need depth for your depth. I thought Hunter was a bad pick last year, and now I'm excited for his ceiling. I'll trust Zimmer on the two defensive guys.

          As for MoBo - he's a Zach LaVine pick. IF he develops, his innate physical ability is hard to deal with. I thought it was a wasted pick too at the time, but it's going to be hard for a lot of these guys to make the team anyways. Zim loves him, Norv loves him, Rick loves him. Maybe they've seen something we don't. At the very least, notice served to CJ and CP.

          • True biggie, regarding the TE. But that was why they signed the TE during FA. MoBo has incredible upside. But I think it is likely that if they put him on the practice squad that someone will nab him, if they don't give him a spot on the final roster it will be a wasted pick. Any or all of the four COULD make the final roster, and I don't think that any of them were bad picks. I was just saying that drafting the second or third rated punter would be a better chance of making the final roster than any of the four. Always a roll of the dice with draft picks. I am not saying that I think that this is any certainty or opinion, just an example scenario, it is possible that the second could be gone in two years and the 7th could be a quality starter, we just don't know until they play. Locke has been underwhelming for two years and let them down a few times when it really counted last year. The good thing was that last year his poor punt at the end of a couple of games didn't cost them due to a much improved defense. But I am happy that they have invited Lecompte to camp. (or did they now sign him?) If that is the case then all is well that ends well. SKOL!!