Rick Spielman did a terrific job with his first draft as general manager of the Minnesota Vikings. This NFL draft was unique in that the first two picks have been known for quite some time. As a result, the draft essentially started with the Vikings third pick. Spielman created an air of confusion with the media and perhaps other teams in the weeks leading up to the draft. Throughout the draft evaluation process most assumed that the Vikings would select USC tackle Matt Kalil. Spielman maintained that they had options in Kalil, LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, Oklahoma St receiver Justin Blackman and ideally to trade down, just a little. They wanted to keep a shot at one of those three elite players but it could be any of those players. All three played positions of significant need for the Vikings. About an hour before the draft Spielman made a trade with the Cleveland Browns at #4. The Browns wanted to insure that they could select Alabama running back Trent Richardson. In exchange for dropping back one spot, the Vikings received the Browns picks in the 4th, 5th and 7th rounds and still had their player of choice. The Minnesota Vikings were now ready to roll with thirteen picks in the 2012 NFL Draft.
I believe that Matt Kalil was always the top choice of the Vikings. I also believe that he was the right choice. He will become the starting left tackle and solidify a very young offensive line. Most draft "experts" rate Kalil a notch below Cleveland's Joe Thomas and Miami's Jake Long when they entered the league. Kalil has that same elite potential. He may need to get stronger but his footwork and movement is at least equal to Thomas and Long. Kalil left USC early so he's a year behind the other two when they entered the league in both physical and football development. Kalil's senior football season will see him practicing against Jared Allen and competing against elite pass rushers Dwight Freeney, Julius Peppers, Clay Matthews, Cliff Avril and Aldon Smith. The offensive line got stronger with Kalil and as result so did the entire offense. Christian Ponder, Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart, Percy Harvin and the rest of the Vikings playmakers will be happy for the next decade, hopefully longer.
The trade with Cleveland before the draft gave Minnesota the means to trade back into the first round and select Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. Safety was essentially a void on the Vikings roster. I seriously doubt that the starters last year would have made a 53-man roster of any of the other 31 teams in the league. The Vikings clearly liked what they saw of Smith at the Senior Bowl where they coached the North squad. Smith is a smart, instinctive football player. He was the leader of the Notre Dame defense, calling adjustments and making sure that everyone was lined up correctly. The Vikings need him to do the same for a defensive backfield that's been a mess for a couple of years. He's a starter now. The Vikings offense and defense got much better in that first round.
It's a stretch to say that Central Florida corner Josh Robinson will join Harrison Smith as an opening day starter in the defensive backfield. Hopefully, he'll see a lot of playing time as a rookie in nickel and dime coverage. The future corners in Minnesota are likely Robinson and Chris Cook. Robinson brings something that the Minnesota defense has lacked for a long time, speed. He should be an immediate contributor as a returner. Fourth round Arkansas receiver Jarius Wright brings speed to the other side of the ball. Head coach Leslie Frazier said that the team needed a fast, downfield receiving threat. Wright provides that. He's a little small at 5'10" 185 lbs so he may need some time to adjust to the physical nature of the NFL game. He was an All-SEC performer so he's had to deal with talented corners and first round draft picks like Morris Claiborne, Dre Kirkpatrick and Patrick Peterson. He'll find his way through, and hopefully, past NFL defenses. Fullback/tight end Rhett Ellison will help fill the extra blocker role left open by the retirement of Jim Kleinsasser. Ellison was a player that I thought would interest the Vikings. I hoped that they could get him later in the draft but the Vikings obviously decided that they couldn't. The last fourth round pick was Wright's Arkansas teammate, receiver Greg Childs. Before a patella tendon injury in 2010, Childs was on track to be a late first, early second round draft selection. He might have come back too early but he's healthy now. He ran very well at his recent Pro Day at Arkansas. What Wright brings in pure speed, Childs brings in size. At 6-3, 220 lbs he will hopefully provide what Minnesota lost when Sidney Rice left in free agency. Receiver was right behind left tackle and secondary on the Vikings list of weaknesses. Hopefully, they filled that need with what they found in Arkansas. The Vikings continued the teammate route in the fifth round when they selected Harrison Smith's partner in the Notre Dame defensive backfield, Robert Blanton. Blanton played corner in college but will play safety for the Vikings. Partly due to the talent level at the safety position but hopefully due to their play, I wouldn't be surprised to see Smith and Blanton as the Vikings starting safeties this season. Their sixth round pick was a surprise, Georgia kick Blair Walsh. Ryan Longwell is still going strong but he's nearing the end of his terrific career. Drafting Walsh might have been a "we'll see what happens" pick. The Vikings added inside linebacker Audie Cole of North Carolina St with their first pick in the seventh round. It's certainly a position of need. He sounds a lot like projected starter Jasper Brinkley. Terrific run stopper. Suspect in coverage. Special teams will likely be his best route onto the roster. Brinkley missed all of last season with a hip injury. Cole also brings insurance if Brinkley falters. The Vikings last pick of the draft was a personal favorite of mine, Cal defensive lineman Trevor Guyton. I expected him to be drafted earlier. Most of his college career was spent backing up and supporting first round picks Tyson Alualu and Cameron Jordan. Throughout his college career Guyton made plays. Especially when his team needed it the most. He gives the Vikings position versatility along the line as he can play both end and tackle.
The Vikings also traded two of their later picks, a fifth and seventh, in separate trades. It brought them a fourth and sixth in the 2013 draft. So the Vikings added ten players this year, all in areas of significant need, and strengthened themselves for the draft next year.
I really like this draft. Talented, high character players. Strong teammates. Some actually were teammates in college. They found two immediate starters and impact players in the first round. Josh Robinson and Jarius Wright are likely the kick returners and should contribute significantly in certain packages right away. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Childs and Blanton emerge as starters early. Ellison will be involved in the tight end rotation and line up in the backfield as an extra blocker. I like Guyton to make the team and strengthen the depth of the defensive line.
Nice job Rick Spielman and all the scouts and coaches on this draft.
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