Throwback Thursday: Vikings In The Middle

In the 1960s the Minnesota Vikings were forced to compete in a division populated by teams with ridiculous talent at the middle linebacker position. The Chicago Bears had Bill George and Dick Butkus. The Green Bay Packers had Ray Nitschke. The Detroit Lions had Joe Schmidt and Mike Lucci. All but Lucci are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The talent in the middle of these defenses set the bar high. As an expansion team the Vikings had to reach that bar. Even with those high standards the Vikings did all right for themselves. Rip Hawkins was the second pick in team history. Sandwiched between the selections of Tommy Mason and Fran Tarkenton. Hawkins handled the middle of the defense for the first half of the decade. He was even elected to a Pro Bowl despite all of the talent on the teams around him. Lonnie Warwick manned the middle of the Vikings defense for the last half of the decade. He didn't earn any Pro Bowl nods but he had to go against the best years of Butkus and Nitschke. Hawkins and Warwick started a modest but solid Minnesota Vikings tradition at the middle linebacker position.

Rip Hawkins 1961-65

Lonnie Warwick 1966-70

Carl Gersbach 1971

Jeff Siemon 1972-81

Scott Studwell 1980-90

Ray Berry 1991

Jack Del Rio 1992-95

Jeff Brady 1995-97

Ed McDaniel 1998-2001

Greg Biekert 2002-03

E.J. Henderson 2004-11

Jasper Brinkley 2012

Erin Henderson 2013

Jasper Brinkley 2014

The middle linebacker talent trotted out by the Chicago Bears over the decades should be illegal. Bulldog Turner, George Connor, Bill George, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary. All are honored in Canton. Brian Urlacher should join them in a couple of years. A simply ridiculous run of talent at the position. They are tossed out as an outlier for any comparison is a joke. Except for the transitional year of Carl Gersbach in 1971, the Vikings run at the position from 1961-90 was terrific. Siemon is arguably the best middle linebacker in team history.  His career was highlighted by a fistful of Pro Bowls and a simply outstanding performance in a losing effort in Super Bowl XI. He was one of the best middle linebackers in the league through the middle of the 1970s. Scott Studwell didn't receive as many accolades as Siemon but he provided strong leadership and play throughout the 1980s. Jack Del Rio, Jeff Brady, Ed McDaniel, and Greg Biekert were solid. McDaniel was occasionally spectacular. E.J. Henderson was probably the best all-around middle linebacker that the Vikings have had since Siemon. His career was really never the same after a brutal leg injury late in the 2009 season. He made his single Pro Bowl after that injury but he really wasn't the same player. The Vikings have been trying to find Henderson's replacement ever since. They even tried his brother, Erin Henderson, at the position in 2013. It didn't work as well as hoped. The Vikings search for the next middle linebacker to continue their modest but solid tradition has hopefully come to an end. 

It was only fitting that E.J. Henderson was tapped as the former Minnesota Vikings player to announce the team's second round selection in the 2015 NFL Draft. Henderson announced the Vikings selection of UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks. Hopefully, he's the next one. The best one. 

Eleven Favorite Picks

Here are eleven of my favorite picks from the 2015 NFL Draft. They are in no order other than chronological.

1. Todd Gurley, running back, St. Louis Rams
-10th pick, first round
If healthy, Gurley likely doesn't make it to the 10th pick. Who knows when Gurley will be 100% but when he is the Rams become a different team on offense.

2. Shane Ray, defensive end, Denver Broncos
-23rd pick, first round
Ray was a likely top-10 pick before he was cited for driving around with a chunk of weed on the Monday before the draft. The Broncos were the extremely lucky beneficiary of Ray's drop in the draft. Ray comes off the snap like he's shot out of a cannon. With Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware and now Ray, the Broncos are going to be a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.

3. Eric Kendricks, linebacker, Minnesota Vikings
-13th pick, second round
I didn't think that the Vikings had a realistic shot a Kendricks unless they traded back into the first round for the fourth consecutive year. The Vikings have been searching for a 3-down linebacker to man the middle of the defense for years. That search is over.

4. Ameer Abdulah, running back, Detroit Lions
-22nd pick, second round
Technically, as a Vikings fan, I probably hated this pick as much as I hated the Chicago Bears scooping up Kevin White in the first round. Abdullah was one of  my favorite players in the draft. I was just hoping that he'd be selected by a team outside the NFC North. The Lions have gone through Jahvid Best and Reggie Bush trying to find a game-breaking back like Abdullah.

5. Quenten Rollins, defensive back, Green Bay Packers
-30th pick, second round
Rollins has a sky-high ceiling seeing as he played a single year of college football. He was the defensive MVP of the MAC in that single year. He played corner in college but projects to just about anywhere in the secondary. The Packers found a very good, versatile football player.

6. Tyler Lockett, receiver, Seattle Seahawks
-5th pick, third round
The Seahawks jumped up nearly the entire length of the third round to grab Lockett. He was just about the only threat on the Kansas St. offense but no one could stop him. He might not be very big but he plays real big. Russell Wilson should be very happy with his new weapon.

7. David Johnson, running back, Arizona Cardinals
-22nd pick, third round
The Cardinals needed a big back to compliment Andre Ellington. They found one in Johnson. He does a lot of things well.

8. Paul Dawson, linebacker, Cincinnati Benglas
-35th pick, round 3
The Bengals closed the second night of the draft on a high note. Dawson and Kendricks were probably the two most instinctive linebackers in the draft. The Bengals found Dawson at the end of the third. He might have been a first round pick on film but an unimpressive performance at the Scouting Combine killed his draft stock. The film should be more important every time. The Bengals benefit.

9. Kyle Emanuel, linebacker/defensive end, San Diego Chargers
-17th pick, fifth round
I didn't know much about Emmanuel before the draft process. He played at North Dakota St. The Vikings showed a lot of interest in him so I started paying attention to him. He was one of those football players that simply never stopped. He played end in college but looked like he could play linebacker. Inside and outside. That versatility and effort puts him on this list.

10. Tony Lippett, cornerback/receiver, Miami Dolphins
-20th pick, fifth round
How can you not like a football player that played receiver in college and was drafted as a cornerback. He was an All-Big Ten receiver and started two games at corner last year. He has the talent to do both in the NFL. The Dolphins will start him out a corner.

11. Michael Bennett, defensive tackle, Jacksonville Jaguars
-4th pick, sixth round
A lot of players dropped in this draft for various reasons. I still have no idea why Bennett was still available in sixth round. I wouldn't have been surprised if a team had selected him in the second round. Very puzzling. There was some mention that there might have been some medical concerns. Players with more definite medical concerns went much higher. No matter the reason, the Jaguars lucked into a terrific football player in the sixth round.

Some Favorite Drafts

Grading drafts immediately following the draft is a foolish thing to do. Bleacher Report showed that when they handed the Seattle Seahawks 2012 draft an "F." That was a draft that included Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and Russell Wilson. No one knows the results of any draft until the players actually have a chance to play in the NFL. Instead of giving grades to each draft class I'm going to mention some that I liked. The Minnesota Vikings draft class won't be mentioned here because I'll probably be spending plenty of time and space with that excellent class. Here are some of the draft classes from the 2015 NFL Draft that I liked the best,

Jacksonville Jaguars
1. Dante Fowler Jr., LB/DE, Florida
2. T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama
3. A.J. Cann, G, South Carolina
4. James Sample, S, Louisville
5. Rashad Greene, WR, Florida St.
6. Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio St.
7. Neal Sterling, WR, Monmouth
7. Ben Koyack, TE, Notre Dame

When you can find a football player like Michael Bennett available in the sixth round you know that things are falling your way on draft day. The Jaguars made great use of every single one of their picks. On both sides of the ball. If Blake Bortles becomes the franchise quarterback that he was drafted to be this team is on the rise. Possibly a rapid rise. The Indianapolis Colts might not be alone at the top of the AFC South for long.

Chicago Bears
1. Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
2. Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida St.
3. Hroni Grasu, C, Oregon
4. Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan St.
5. Adrian Amos, S, Penn St.
6. Tayo Fabuluje, T, TCU

The Bears might have needed a little more help on defense but Goldman and Amos will help. White, Goldman, Grasu, and Amos could be week one starters. Langford should get significant carries to give Matt Forte a break.

Arizona Cardinals
1. D.J. Humphries, T, Florida
2. Markus Golden, DE, Missouri
3. David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa
4. Rodney Gunter, DT, Deleware St.
5. Shaquille Riddick, DE, West Virginia
5. J.J. Nelson, WR, UAB
7. Gerald Christian, TE, Louisville

The Cardinals won my appreciation for this draft with the selections of Humphries and Johnson. They are building an excellent offensive line in Arizona. Humphries is an excellent addition. Johnson is a big "do-it-all" back that will pair nicely with Andre Ellington. The Cardinals also did a nice job of replenishing a defensive line that suffered free agency losses.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
2. Donovan Smith, T, Penn St.
2. Ali Marpet, G, Hobart
4. Kwon Alexander, LB, LSU
5. Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska
6. Kaelin Clay, WR, Utah
7. Joey Iosefa, FB, Hawaii

The success of any draft that starts with a quarterback, especially when that quarterback is the first play selected, is dependent on that quarterback. The Bucs have chained themselves to Winston. They go as he goes. The Bucs did a nice job of following the Winston by drafting about half of the line that will protect him. Alexander seems like a physical clone of Lavonte David. The Buccaneers hope that he plays like him as well. Bell should provide a nice option to giants Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson.

Tennessee Titans 
1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
2. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri
3. Jeremiah Poutasi, T, Utah
4. Angelo Blackson, DT, Auburn
4. Jalston Fowler, FB, Alabama
5. David Cobb, RB, Minnesota
6. Deiontrez Mount, LB, Louisville
6. Andy Gallick, C, Boston College
7. Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary

The success of any draft that starts with a quarterback, especially when that quarterback is the second player selected, is dependent on that quarterback. That sounds familiar. The Titans had the makings of a nice offensive line already in place. Poutasi should be the final piece. If Green-Beckham only makes the news for his football ability the Titans found a real difference-maker. Cobb is a terrific running back. I was surprised that he was still available in the fifth round. I was even more surprised that McBride was still available in the seventh.

Cleveland Browns
1. Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
1. Cameron Erving, C, Florida St.
2. Nate Orchard, DE, Utah
3. Duke Johnson, RB, Miami
3. Xavier Cooper, DE, Washington St.
4. Ibraheim Campbell, S, Northwestern
4. Vince Mayle, WR, Washington St.
6. Charles Gaines, CB, Louisville
6. Malcolm Johnson, TE, Mississippi St.
6. Randall Telfer, TE, USC
7. Hayes Pullard, LB, USC
7. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon

The Browns don't often get much post-draft love but I'll give some to them here. They had a lot of picks and they made fine use of them. There's quantity and quality. Shelton should become a defensive cornerstone. Erving is great insurance for the potential loss of Alex Mack and improves the line. Pac-12 quarterbacks are thrilled that Orchard is no longer in the conference. Johnson joins a stable of runners in Cleveland. Several of these picks will make immediate impacts. If Ekpre-Olomu can completely recover from a late-season knee injury, the Browns will have one of the most talented trio of corners in the league.

These are a few of the drafts that stood out to me.

I Wonder

As the Minnesota Vikings selection in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft approached there was a report from media insider Ian Rapaport that the Philadelphia Eagles were working the phones. Rapoport claimed that the little Eagle elf Chip Kelly was talking to the decision-makers of the Vikings. The Chipper was in a lather to move up in the draft. The Vikings had the 45th pick. The Eagles had the 52nd. The Vikings didn't bite. The Chipper found a biter in the Miami Dolphins at 47. The Chipper selected Utah defensive back Eric Rowe with that 47th pick. Nice pick, Chip. Rowe is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the draft.

The particulars of any NFL Draft usually remain a mystery because those that make draft day decisions are about as truthful after the draft as they are before the draft. You can't believe a damn thing that anyone in the NFL says. So those of us that are prone to wonder start to wonder and I wonder a lot. So I can't help but wonder about the particulars of the conversation between Vikings general manager Rick Spielman and the Chipper. Before the draft kicked off on Thursday there were a few supposed insiders and a whole host of outsiders honking about the Chipper offering up about half of his team for a chance at drafting Marcus Mariota. Linebacker Mychal Kendricks was one of the Eagles players that was included in the Eagles fire sale. A player that just happens to play a position, middle linebacker, that was a need for the Vikings. The Chipper was apparently asking for a second round pick for Kendricks. The Vikings pick that fancied the Chipper was a second round pick. I wonder if those needs and wants were the particulars of that conversation. I wonder if the Chipper was offering Mychal Kendricks for the Vikings 45th pick. Both teams would have filled needs and/or wants. Both teams would have been happy. As mentioned, the Vikings didn't bite. They kept their pick and Chipper turned his attention to the Dolphins. The Dolphins did bite. There's a real solid chance that none of this is true. Chipper and Spielman may have only discussed swapping draft picks. Mychal Kendricks might not have even been mentioned. The funny thing about all of this wondering is that the football player that the Vikings selected at 45 was UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks. He just happens to be the younger brother of Mychal Kendricks.

Draft Thoughts

The 2015 NFL Draft is finally in the rear view mirror. Just like Christmas, it takes so long to get here and then, "poof," it's done. Despite the incredible need to grade every pick seconds after it's made we won't know if any of these picks are great, even good, picks for a few years.

For now. Congratulations to all 256 football players that are now in the National Football League. Best of luck to all of you. Make the most of the opportunity.

Chicago was the host of the 2015 NFL Draft. It was the first time that the draft was held outside New York City since the 1964 draft. Seemed like a fine event with the large presence and presentation outside the theater. Having Commissioner Roger Goodell make a presence outside and inside the theater looked to be an error in judgement. There was a lot of waiting as he made his way from one location to the other. Roger got a workout.

Players drop in the draft every year. I can't recall another draft that included so many top players that dropped during the week leading into the draft. Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory dropped due to his strong desire to smoke pot as well as questions regarding his overall mental state. Pittsburgh offensive tackle T.J. Clemmings suddenly had injury issues with a fractured foot that he's apparently had for a while without an issue. Missouri defensive end Shane Ray was cited for pot possession the Monday before the draft. And then there is the ongoing drama of LSU tackle La'el Collins. He had to leave Chicago to be questioned by the police for the tragic murder of a woman and and her unborn son. The police have maintained that Collins is not a suspect but the NFL teams really couldn't touch him until everything cleared. All of these players were expected to be drafted in the first round. The result of these issues:

-Gregory dropped to the Dallas Cowboys with the 28th pick of the second round.
-Clemmings dropped to the Minnesota Vikings with the 11th pick of the fourth round.
-Ray stayed in the first round but dropped to the Denver Broncos with the 23rd pick.
-Collins wasn't drafted at all. He first requested entry in the Supplemental Draft. When that request was denied he threatened to sit out the 2015 season and enter the 2016 NFL Draft. He'll be a highly sought after undrafted free agent whenever he's cleared of this very unfortunate situation.

It was great to see former players announce the selections on the second day of the draft. The best of which was the presence of Jim Kelly. His reception was very warm and sustained.

It was sad to hear that Rick Upchurch is fighting leukemia. Hopefully he can beat this disease like he so often beat kick coverage and defenses.

Mel Blount at 67 looks like he could still play the game.

It was great to see Kenny Easley. I can't recall seeing him since his fantastic playing days of about four decades ago. He should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Donald Driver hacked up his opportunity to announce the second round pick of the Green Bay Packers. He announced Quinten Groves when he should have announced Quenten Rollins.

Thanks to their trade last year for Sammy Watkins, the Buffalo Bills had no first round pick this year. The Bills didn't pick until #50. They found Florida St. corner Ronald Darby there.

The Seattle Seahawks also sat out the first night of the draft. That absence was due to their offseason trade for New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham. The Seahawks selected Michigan defensive end Frank Clark with the 63rd pick of the draft.

This was supposed to be the draft that brought back running backs. The draft was loaded with them. It didn't work that way. Only two were selected in the first round. Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon. Two more were selected in the second round. T.J. Yeldon and Ameer Abdullah. But that total was doubled in the third round to bring the total to a robust eight after three rounds of drafting.

18 of the 32 players selected in the first round were underclassmen.

43 of the 99 players selected in the first three rounds were underclassmen.

84 underclassmen declared for the NFL Draft. 60 were drafted.

When the Vikings selected UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks in the second round another brother combination arrived in the league. Mychal Kendricks is a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles. The younger Kendricks hoped to be selected before the older Kendricks. Younger won. Eric Kendricks was selected with the 45th pick. Mychal Kendricks was selected with the 46th pick of the 2012 draft.

No Cal players were among the 256 drafted players. Big surprise there as no Cal players were invited to the Scouting Combine and the team has been in a bit of a talent lull. Receiver Chris Harper has the talent to make it in the big leagues. The New England Patriots signed him as an undrafted free agent. Cal might have a highly sought quarterback next year.

The draft broken down by college conference:
SEC (54)
ACC (47)
Pac-12 (39)
Big Ten (35)
Big 12 (25)
AAC (11)
MWC (10)
CUSA (6)
MAC (4)
MVFC (4)
Sun (3)

The draft broken down by position:
Defensive backs (47)
Linebackers (37)
Receivers (34)
Tackles (26)
Defensive ends (23)
Running backs (23)
Tight ends (18)
Defensive tackles (16)
Guards (16)
Quarterbacks (7)
Centers (5)
Nose tackles (2)
Punter (1)
Long snapper (1)

Leave it to the New England Patriots to draft a long snapper. Navy's Joe Cardona in the fifth round. Selecting a long snapper in the fifth round is a bold move.

The Miami Dolphins finished their draft work early. They were done with the their last pick of the fifth round. They did some great work in the fifth.

Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise St.
Cedric Thompson, S, Minnesota
Tony Lippett, WR/CB, Michigan St.

I like all of those picks. Lippett in particular was a favorite of mine due to his unique positional versatility.

The draft came to a close with the annual announcement of Mr. Irrelevant. The last pick of the draft:
Gerald Christian, TE, Louisville.

256 new NFL players.

The race for undrafted free agents started before the draft was even over.

And, Adrian Peterson is still with the Minnesota Vikings. Looks like nothing but months of nonsense.

A New Defense

The Minnesota Vikings opened the 2015 NFL Draft by selecting Michigan St. cornerback Trae Waynes in the first round. They went defense again on day two by selecting UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks in the second round and LSU defensive end Danielle Hunter in the third round. That's a lot of defense.

1. Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan St.
2. Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA
3. Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU

The Minnesota Vikings defense was terrible in 2013. Just terrible. Historically bad. That might be a bit much but they weren't good. Mike Zimmer was hired as head coach following that sad season to change pretty much everything on the team let alone that defense. That defense was much improved last year bet there's still a lot of room for improvement. The Vikings had some issues guarding bigger receivers downfield. Adding Waynes to the secondary should remedy that issue. Hopefully immediately. The Vikings also had some issues stopping the run. Adding Kendricks to the middle of the defense as well as a better understanding of Zimmer's defense throughout the line should remedy that issue. Zimmer likes to rotate players along the defensive line. There was limited production at defensive end behind starters Everson Griffen and Brian Robison so the rotation there left much to be desired. Danielle Hunter and the hoped-for development of 2014 third round pick Scott Crichton should provide that depth at defensive end. After the first two days of the draft the Minnesota Vikings have a new and potentially imposing defense.

Here's a peak at what that Minnesota Vikings defense might look like:

DE  Everson Griffen
DT  Sharrif Floyd
DT  Linval Joseph
DE  Brian Robison
LB  Anthony Barr
LB  Eric Kendricks
LB  Gerald Hodges/Chad Greenway
CB  Xavier Rhodes
CB  Trae Waynes
  S   Harrison Smith
  S   Robert Blanton/Antone Exum

There's a lot to like with this defense. First it's a very young defense with Robison and Greenway being the only players in their twilight of their careers. Second, it's a very talented defense. Faster, more explosive than last year. Better depth. Waynes might be the top pick but his presence as one of the starting corners in week one is far from assured. He has the talent to be there but he has some work to do. He's terrific in deep coverage where his great speed benefits him well. He needs work on his technique and recognition skills to improve his coverage closer to the line of scrimmage. Areas of the field in which he has to start and stop, change direction. If he responds to the "tough-love" coaching of Zimmer and secondary coach Jerry Gray as well as Xavier Rhodes, Waynes should be on the field soon. Kendricks might have a quicker route to the starting lineup. There's some chatter that he will be tried at "will"(weak outside linebacker) as well as "mike" (middle linebacker) but that is just to assure that they have him in the right place. A side not here: There's so much to like about Mike Zimmer as the head coach of the Vikings. His insistence on getting his hands on a player before he puts that player at any one position is one of those things. Zimmer makes no assumptions until he's certain. Great coach. Back to the new players: Kendricks is a smart, instinctive football player. A great combination for the middle linebacker and hoped-for leader of the defense. A unique benefit to Kendricks is that he's very familiar with last year's top pick Anthony Barr. They were linebacking teammates as well as roommates at UCLA. It's always nice to have friends in a new place. NFL Network draft commentator Mike Mayock said that third round pick Danielle Hunter could have used another year in school. Hunter has only played football for about five years so he has a ton to learn. What he does have going for him is a ton of talent. He's in the right place for that. His NFL comparison by some has been to New York Giants freak of nature Jason Pierre-Paul. That's high praise and an indication of Hunter's unique athletic talents. If the Vikings coaching staff can round Hunter into more than an explosive athlete they will have a beast of a football player.

This is a whole new Minnesota Vikings defense. It's fantastic to see.

Safety could still be addressed today but it might be time to find some football players for the offensive side of the ball. If there's anybody that's unhappy in the Vikings war room it might be Norv Turner.

The Real Draft-Round 1

So tired of mocks. Here's the real thing.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Jameis Williams, QB, Florida St.
-big surprise
2. Tennessee Titans-Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
-The Philadelphia Chipper couldn't get his guy. No matter how hard he might have tried.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars-Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida
-Roger Goodell finally gets a fella to hug.
4. Oakland Raiders-Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
-Derek Carr gets a terrific pass catcher.
5. Washington Redskins-Brandon Scherff, G/T, Iowa
-First curveball of the draft. The Redskins line got a little meaner.
6. New York Jets-Leonard Williams, DT, USC
-Wilkerson, Richardson, Williams. Oh my.
7. Chicago Bears-Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
-Bears get themselves a playmaker.
8. Atlanta Falcons-Vic Beasley, LB, Clemson
-Beasley really needed to fall another three spots.
9. New York Giants-Ereck Flowers, T, Miami
-He might not be as exciting as the Giants last top pick but could be as important.
10. St. Louis Rams-Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
-No offense to Steven Jackson but the Rams haven't had a back this talented since Marshall Faulk.
11. Minnesota Vikings-Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan St.
-Pairs nicely with Xavier Rhodes for many "shutdown" years.
12. Cleveland Browns-Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
-I thought that Shelton was going to toss Goodell from the stage.
13. New Orleans Saints-Andrus Peat, T, Stanford
-Brees gets a big guy to keep him safe.
14. Miami Dolphins-DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
-Tannehill gets a big target.
15. San Diego Chargers-Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
There was supposed to be a bunch of trades. This was the first. Chargers get their running back with the 49ers' original pick.
16. Houston Texans-Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
-Good corner.
17. San Francisco 49ers-Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon
-In a couple of years this kid could be an absolute beast. We might even see flashes of that potential  this year. The 49ers obviously hope that it's more than flashes.
18. Kansas City Chiefs-Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
-If he can control his abundant enthusiasm he should be a terrific NFL corner.
19. Cleveland Browns-Cameron Erving, C, Florida St.
-Not many linemen can play all five line positions. Erving can. He's best in the middle.
20. Philadelphia Eagles-Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
-I wonder how long this playmaker lasts in Philadelphia. Excellent receiver.
21. Cincinnati Bengals-Cedric Ogbuehi, T, Texas A&M
-Another Aggie tackle goes in the first.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers-Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky
-Freakish athlete. Big, explosive, and strong.
23. Denver Broncos-Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
-Only the second trade. The Lions flipped this one to the Broncos. The Broncos get a player with top-10 talent. Ridiculous first step. Looks like he's shot out of a cannon.
24. Arizona Cardinals-D.J. Humphries, T, Florida
-The Cardinals are putting together an impressive offensive line.
25. Carolina Panthers-Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington
-Thompson is a unique, versatile football player. The Panthers linebackers will be a blast to watch.
26. Baltimore Ravens-Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
-The Ravens replaced Torrey Smith's speed with Perriman's.
27. Dallas Cowboys-Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut
-This kid jumped from Connecticut all the way to Dallas. Remarkable athlete.
28. Detroit Lions-Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke
-The Lions added Manny Ramirez in the trade with the Broncos. With the Broncos pick they get a very promising guard. The Lions interior line got a lot better last night.
29. Indianapolis Colts-Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami
-My goodness. Andrew Luck is going to have some kind of fun with these receivers.
30. Green Bay Packers-Damarious Randall, S, Arizona St. 
-The Packers draft safeties in the first round in back-to-back drafts. Very good football player.
31. New Orleans Saints-Stephone Anthony, LB, Clemson
-Anthony is a player that I hoped would be available at the 13th pick of the second round. It's a real shame that he won't be available at the 13th pick of the second round. The Saints get themselves a leader in the middle of their defense.
32. New England Patriots-Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
-Lose Vince Wilfork in the offseason. Add Malcom Brown in the draft.



The highlight of the first round was Danny Shelton deadlifting the Commissioner. Fun stuff.

Two trades. There were supposed to be so many.

For the first time since 2011 the Minnesota Vikings will be making a selection in the second round. That should be fun.

Adrian Peterson is still with the Vikings! Hopefully this ridiculous soap opera is finally at an end.