Speilman interview on draft pick.

**Schleppy** · 04-05-2007, 12:11 AM

No. 7 pick offers many scenarios for Vikings
Spielman says team may swap draft slot if situation is right
BY DON SEEHOLZER
Pioneer Press
Article Last Updated: 04/04/2007 12:33:05 AM CDT

Despite a glaring need at wide receiver, the Vikings could end up waiting until the second or third round of the April 28-29 NFL draft to select a pass catcher, and they might be willing to trade down in the first round from the No. 7 spot, depending on who's available. Vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman touched on those subjects and more during an interview Tuesday with the Pioneer Press.

Q: You said early in the offseason that the plan was to build this team primarily through the draft, not free agency. But with only three free agents signed, does that put added pressure on this draft to hit on almost every pick?

A: No. I think you're making a mistake (when you look at it that way). Regardless of what we did in free agency, we're still going to try to the best of our ability to get the best players in here that we can. There'll be a lot of different scenarios that we're going to face, I think, especially with the seventh pick ... on maybe moving up or down, depending on what happens in front of us. A lot of it will probably depend on what players are sitting at our pick. Do we want to take a player or do we want to go ahead and accumulate more picks?

Q: In addition to wide receiver, this team would seem to need a pass-rushing defensive end, a third cornerback and maybe a No. 2 running back and offensive line depth. Can you fill all those holes in this draft?

A: As we develop our board, there will be options at

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positions, but I believe you have your best drafts when you stay true to your board. You can fill a need, but you're also going to take the best player available. ... We're going to take the guys that not only we think are worthy of that slot, but we're also going to take guys that are high-character, high-quality guys, without issues.
Q: Other than Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech, who's expected to be a top-four or five pick, is there another wide receiver worth taking at No. 7?

A: I'm not going to get into how we're going to have our board, but I think there are a lot of quality receivers and there are going to be a lot of quality receivers taken in the first day. So whether it's the seventh (pick) or the second round or third round, you can pick up a receiver, maybe in the second day as well.

Q: A lot of first-round receivers have taken some time to develop. Are you among those who think that's a position that can be filled just as well in a later round?

A: I think there are a lot of examples of guys that have come in the second and third rounds and had impact. We were fortunate to get Chris Chambers (in Miami) in the second round, and (Marques) Colston, who ever thought he would come out and do what he did (for New Orleans) as a seventh-round pick?

Q: You mentioned the possibility of trading down to accumulate more picks. What are the chances of that happening?

A: That's something we may look at, but if there's a guy we feel strongly about that's sitting there at No. 7, that this is a guy we can't pass on because he's going to make that much of a difference for us, then we're going to definitely take that player.

Q: Do you expect there will be much interest in the pick?

A: I don't know. I guess it depends on who's there. If there is, then I'm sure we'd be willing to possibly trade down, unless it's a player we think we absolutely have to have.

Q: This team hasn't had good luck with first-round defensive ends lately, with Kenechi Udeze and Erasmus James both struggling with injuries. Could that factor into the decision about whether to use the No. 7 pick on someone like Gaines Adams of Clemson?

A: I don't think that's what you focus on. If you think there's a Bruce Smith out there, you're not going to pass on a guy you think is going to have 15 sacks a year for you just because you had an injury history in the past. Every year is new and every year is different and every player is an individual case.

Q: With all the criticism of your free-agent signings, do you need to make a splash in the draft to give the fans something to get excited about?

A: The guys we end up picking are going to guys that we feel very strongly about as players that are not only going to help us this year but be future stars for us down the road. We're being very patient and very diligent. When we feel strongly about a player, we're going to go out and get that player. The guys that we did sign in free agency, we felt very strongly about. Just because they're not big-name guys, that doesn't mean they're not going to be good football players.

**davike** · 04-05-2007, 12:21 AM

He is doing the same thing they have been doing all off season...you ask them a question and they don't really answer. They are very deceptive in their answers, they give away virtually no information. Not much I learned in this article other then they are going to try to get good players in the draft :