Thread: Overall thoughts on the draft + UDFA

Seems like we are done, we have a draft class of

1st - #4 – Matt Kalil, OT - USC
1st - #29 – Harrison Smith, SS - Notre Dame
3rd - #66 - Josh Robinson, CB - UCF
4th - #118 – Jarius Wright, WR - Arkansas
4th - #128 – Rhett Ellison, FB/TE - USC
4th - #134 - Greg Childs, WR - Arkansas
5th - #139 – Robert Blanton, CB/S - Notre Dame
6th - #175 – Blair Walsh, K - Georgia
7th - #210 – Audie Cole, OLB/ILB - North Carolina State
7th - #219 - Trevor Guyton, DE/DT - California

We also picked up a 4th and a 6th round pick next year.

Loved the Kalil pick and loved the trade into 4th to save a little bit of money proberly along with picking up extra picks, which helped us moving back into the first round to select Smith, another great pick who fits maybe our biggest need.

Josh Robinson was a corner i really liked, he can play right away and has blazing speed to run the the fastest guys down the field..

Then it started getting a little bit wrong for me, the two Arkansas wideouts were not really the kind of wideouts i was thinking we should select, i would rather have selected someone who was projected to play the outside WR-Spot.

I thought we had already covered the TE/FB need in Free Agency

Selecting Blair Walsh shocked me, are we really gonna go with two kickers on the roster or is Longwell done here?, i don't really know about that.. Blair Walsh was the best kicker on College Football two years ago but suddenly had a shockingly bad year last year and no one knows what happened to him but he couldnt be trusted anymore and Georgia had to use another kicker in some situations instead.

Blanton seems like an ok pick up, but i don't know much about him other than he might have the ability to play safety and he could get a shot there..

Audie Cole and Guyton seems like good value picks from what i know.

UDFA's:

I know nothing about any of these guys, i have heard of Corey Paredes but never read anything on him, we will see if any of these guys make the team.

• Boise State DT Chase Baker
• UCLA RB Derrick Coleman
• Florida Atlantic DE Kevin Cyrille
• Nicholls State CB Bobby Felder
• Bowling Green WR Kamar Jorden
• Penn State DE Eric Latimore
• Iowa LB Tyler Nielsen
• Cal DE Ernest Owusu
• Hawaii LB Corey Paredes
• Virginia G Austin Pasztor
• North Carolina DT Tydreke Powell
• Missouri DT Terrell Resonno
• Mississippi State C Quentin Saulsberry
• Oregon T Darrion Weems
• South Carolina CB CC Whitlock

Six d-linemen among 15 undrafted who agree to terms with Vikings | 1500 ESPN Twin Cities ? Minnesota Sports News & Opinion (Twins, Vikings, Wolves, Wild, Gophers)

Gil Brandt's top 10 undrafted

6. Quentin Saulsberry, C, Mississippi State -- Saulsberry has played all positions along the line in his college career, started at tackle, guard and center. This year, he had five starts at center and nine at guard, but his best position is center. He's very competitive, athletic, and has the intangibles and strong attitude to be a good player.

Saulsberry sounds like Ryan Cook.....when discribed by Childress

Tyler Nielsen is his top rated linebacker as he runs down the top 5 left by position but he didn't list Burfict in the group, I guess due to some of Burficts issues

Here is a PDF Post Draft Guide that the Vikings PR Department put together
http://t.co/sSReDg7e

We could have been more productive in round 4...not crazy about the WR's and the FB pick is still a little confusing to me? Then...A KICKER? WE DRAFTED A KICKER? WE DRAFTED AN AVERAGE KICKER? NOT EVEN THE BEST KICKER ON THE BOARD??? YOU PICK BLAIR OVER ANGER? FORGET THAT...YOU PICK A KICKER? Overall a good draft, but I think we could have done better.

Originally Posted by skum

Here is a PDF Post Draft Guide that the Vikings PR Department put together
http://t.co/sSReDg7e

Thanks for the link it was a good read

Originally Posted by ConnecticutViking

We could have been more productive in round 4...not crazy about the WR's and the FB pick is still a little confusing to me? Then...A KICKER? WE DRAFTED A KICKER? WE DRAFTED AN AVERAGE KICKER? NOT EVEN THE BEST KICKER ON THE BOARD??? YOU PICK BLAIR OVER ANGER? FORGET THAT...YOU PICK A KICKER? Overall a good draft, but I think we could have done better.

Anger went in the third round and is a punter

Originally Posted by skum

Anger went in the third round and is a punter

OVERVIEW

Walsh is a three-year starter with an active and strong leg. He consistently puts the ball in the end zone on kickoffs and has been reliable enough that a team with a need may select him to keep him off the free-agent market.
ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS

Walsh is a confident kicker who will let it rip from beyond 60 yards. He is most reliable in mid-range kicks. He is a good athlete who is capable of making a tackle as a last resort.WEAKNESSES

Walsh has been inaccurate at times when he tries to drive the ball too hard.

Blair Walsh Draft Profile

28 touch backs and can hit a FG from 60 yards if he doesn't try to over kick it.

I think thats a cat you use a 6th round pick on especially when you consider that the owner is looking to put a cheap team on the field. Sign him for nothing, let him KO and hope Shortwells FG issues are gone. If their not, you let the kid kick the rest of the year and teach him on to kick just as hard on a 20 as you do on a 60 yarder so his consistency improves.

Originally Posted by Marrdro

Blair Walsh Draft Profile

28 touch backs and can hit a FG from 60 yards if he doesn't try to over kick it.

I think thats a cat you use a 6th round pick on especially when you consider that the owner is looking to put a cheap team on the field. Sign him for nothing, let him KO and hope Shortwells FG issues are gone. If their not, you let the kid kick the rest of the year and teach him on to kick just as hard on a 20 as you do on a 60 yarder so his consistency improves.

That is proberly the plan, i just don't think its a good idea to keep 2 Kickers on the roster, If Walsh can find his consistancy he will be great, he was the best kicker in college two years ago.. he was very good, Georgia relied on him to make big time field goals and won games because of it.. Thats why it was even more disappointing to see him struggle so bad last season.

If we can get Walsh in to being a full-time kicker, we can also say goodbye to Longwell who also holds a pretty big contract (for a kicker that is).

I was really disappointed in the final round. It seemed like we were taking picks that don't really have much superstar potential. I'd much rather take someone like Burfict and Dennard, guys that have amazing potential and are low risk/very high reward players. Better than taking someone like Ross Homan who's just out of the league in a year. If they don't work out, then whatever. But if they do, the rewards can be amazing.

I am infuriated we didn't take Dennard actually. But if he had to go to another team, I'm glad it was the Patriots.

Originally Posted by skum

Anger went in the third round and is a punter

Oops...my bad...I don't know the kickers, because....most teams don't draft them