Just days away from the NFL draft, the Minnesota Vikings are one of the biggest wild-card teams in the top eight, in regards to their stance on selecting a quarterback with their first-round pick. With new head coach Mike Zimmer and offensive coordinator Norv Turner calling the plays, the offense will have a new look and feel, with a heavy emphasis on a vertical passing attack.
Going off his history as a play designer, Norv prefers a strong-armed quarterback that can push the ball down the field, while staying composed in the pocket. That's not to say he couldn’t make do with a mobile quarterback, however, with past success with guys like Troy Aikman and Philip Rivers, if building his prototypical man under center, he would likely be a pure drop-back pocket passer.
One thing is for certain though, and that's no matter the round, or the guy, the Vikings will leave draft weekend with a new quarterback. A new young quarterback that will be the eventual replacement to Matt Cassel, and hopefully he will be their new franchise signal caller for a very long time.
Major Needs
Quarterback: We know the Vikings need a quarterback, but what we don’t know is how much pressure they’re putting on themselves to grab a guy in the first round. After watching teams like the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers have great success plucking a quarterback in the mid rounds, while building their defense early and often, the Vikings may be inclined to “copy and paste” the same philosophy in a copy-cat league.
The other thing we don’t know is what quarterback prospect the Vikings truly covet, behind the scenes. Knowing Norv Turner’s offensive game plan, Derek Carr should be near the top of the list with his cannon for an arm and work ethic, while Johnny Manziel’s down field accuracy and magical presence has to be looked at long and hard as well.
Of course, there is a scenario where both quarterbacks are gone by the time the Vikings pick at number eight, then what? Its not like general manager Rick Spielman to lose his cool in the thick of things, so trading back and collecting picks would be something to expect, (if they can find a trade partner), and then go to Plan-B, grabbing a tier-two signal caller later in the draft.
Also, keep in mind Spielman’s history of aggressiveness to move back into the first round, something he has done the past two years to grab players he coveted, like Harrison Smith and Cordarrelle Patterson. With the latest rumors of Teddy Bridgewater falling drastically on draft day, selecting a defensive player of their choosing first, and trading back up near the end of the day to select a quarterback, is an intriguing thought with substance, based off the Vikings history.
Secondary: New head coach Mike Zimmer’s first task as a defensive minded coach, is shoring up a secondary that ranked dead last in almost every passing category. Former head coach Leslie Frazier ran a Cover-2 scheme during his tenure, which consisted of soft and conservative coverage, and had poor results to say the least. Zimmer will be switching to a system that runs a heavy amount of “press” and “man coverage” which will be more of a “in your face” aggressive style of defense. That switch alone should see improved results in the pass defense, however, the Vikings still need to fill the roster with more talent opposite of Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith.
While Captain Munnerlyn, who fits the bill of the aggressive nature Zimmer looks for, was a great signing in free agency, he is a more natural slot or inside cornerback than an outside presence. Grabbing a true outside cornerback to pair up with Rhodes and Munnerlyn would give the Vikings all the pieces needed for a legitimate secondary, under Zimmer’s new defense.
Linebacker: Next to Chad Greenway, the Vikings have a handful of young and untapped players at the position. Last year’s draft picks Gerlad Hodges and Michael Mauti have potential, but have inconsistency and injury concerns. Third year man Audie Cole showed flashes of a starting caliber linebacker in his limited time playing as well. History has shown us that Zimmer can turn something out of nothing, when it comes to his linebackers, not needing to spend a high pick on the position. However, considering their only legitimate starter with experience Chad Greenway, is on the wrong side of 30, the Vikings would be wise to continue to add youth from the draft into the position, and letting competition bring out the best in all of them under Zimmer’s supervision.
Wide Receiver: Some may see this as a bit of a surprise need, but when you look at what Turner wants to do on offense, you start to see a major piece missing from puzzle. Again, the theme for Turner is to push the ball down the field vertically, and to do that you must have a consistent deep-threat that can come down with the ball. No one is here to downplay the talent that both Greg Jennings and Patterson bring to the table, but they are considered players who do most of their damage after the catch. Behind them is Jarius Wright and Jerome Simpson.
Wright has shown big time flashes as a slot receiver when given playing time, and the same could be said for Simpson, however, neither of them have the physical attributes to be considered deep threats. In fact, the Vikings tallest receiver is Patterson who is 6’2”. What the team lacks in a down field presence on the outside is exactly what Turner needs for his offense to run smoothly. In a deep receiver class, I highly expect the Vikings to draft a big receiver, that possesses the ability to “go up and get it” at some point in the draft.
Day-One Targets
Johnny Manziel: Some projections have him long gone when the Vikings will be on the clock, others have him falling into the later half of the round, but the majority of projections have him landing in purple, mainly because of the potential of immediate success, given his would be surrounding talent. As long as Adrian Peterson is on the field, this team will be a run first offense, alleviating some pressure for any quarterback right off the bat.
Then, throwing to targets like Patterson, Jennings, and Kyle Rudolph also have the makings of a rookie like Manziel, with his improvisational skills, to have success right away. Turner puts high emphasis on a quarterback that can get the ball down field, and while few talk about Johnny’s arm strength, his down field accuracy in college was one of the best.
Darqueze Dennard: Depending on who you ask, Dennard is the top cornerback of the class. Dennard excels at press and man coverage, a scheme Zimmer is working hard to implement into the Vikings defense. Besides his skills in coverage, what sets him apart form his peers is his willingness to tackle, as he loves to lower his shoulder and make the play on the ball carrier. Pairing him up opposite of Rhodes, with newly attained Munnerlyn, would instantly upgrade the secondary from its atrocious 2013 season, while forming a young and talented 1-2-3 punch at the position for years to come.
C.J. Mosley: Going off Zimmer’s past, my gut says the Vikings pass on the linebacker position until later in the draft, however if they do decide to grab a linebacker, no question Mosley is the guy. Mosley was the leader of the Crimson Tide defense that ranked as one of the best in the nation, every year he played.
A true three-down linebacker that can do it all from tackling, blitzing, and dropping back in coverage. Mosley’s instincts are what makes him so special, as he has the football IQ of a savvy NFL veteran, and is why he is always in a position to make the play. If the Vikings decide to trade down and garnish extra picks, Mosley has to be a prime candidate to be looked at heavily for the Vikings, in the middle of the first round.
Mike Evans: Before you roll your eyes at this one and move onto the next, remember what I said about Norv Turners offense. Turner needs a a down field weapon, that will win the jump ball, and strike fear in opposing safeties. Evans is the best “jump ball” wide out of this years class, and with no other receivers over 6’2” on the roster, Evans would be the final piece to the prototypical Norv Turner offense. Evans has been linked to the Oakland Raiders at five and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at seven, but if he were to make it to the Vikings at eight, rest assured he will be a very hot topic in the war room.
Day-Two Targets
Kyle Van Noy: Apply pressure on the quarterback, thats the name of the game on defense, and not many do it better than Van Noy. The BYU linebacker is big and fast, with a quick first step to beat lineman off the ball. Combine that with an arsenal of pass rushing moves, like his devastating spin move, and you start to see what all the hype is about. Grabbing Van Noy with the 40th pick in the draft would have to be considered good value, for a player who can get into the backfield consistently, and would help solidify the linebacker position until Greenway retires.
Deone Bucannon: With the league trending towards pass heavy offenses, no position on defense has been more highly coveted as of late than the safety position. Bucannon was a first team All-American after his 78 solo tackles, three forced fumbles, and six interceptions. Bucannon is a big (6’2”) safety who hits like a Mack truck, while showing tremendous range as a center fielder with his speed (4.49 40 during the combine).
Throwing Bucannon next to budding star Harrison Smith would form a hard-hitting dangerous duo, at one of the most important positions on the field. Bucannon has had a great off-season and has watched his stock sky rocket the past few months. After safeties Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, Calvin Pryor, and Jimmie Ward, Bucannon is clearly next in line as the next for his position to be called off the board. If he is still on the board when the Vikings pick in the second round (40), Bucannon has to be a serious option, as he would turn a position of weakness into a strength.
Pierre Desir: If they don’t go secondary in the first round, the position has to be addressed on day-two, considering the drop off in talent that would take place heading into Saturday. After a monster college career, Desir continued his positive momentum into the Shrine game and Senior Bowl week, where he showed off his coverage skills and shut down ability. Desir’s big knock was his small school background and lack of competition, however after his showing in Mobile and the combine, Desir has instilled confidence in whichever team drafts him. Desir is projected as a second-round pick and would make a lot of sense for the Vikings in Zimmer’s press scheme.
Martavis Bryant: As I stated before, the Vikings will be adding a big, down-field threat, at some point in the draft, the question is who. Bryant is one of my favorite sleeper prospects as he was mildly underused at Clemson playing next to Sammy Watkins. Bryant is tall at 6’4” and ran a 4.42 40 time at the combine, on top of showing the ability to win jump balls (39 inch vertical jump) time and time again during his college career. Bryant is a guy that has started to gain some buzz as of late, and could be drafted higher than he is projected based off his high ceiling. However, if he is still on the board with one of the Vikings’ two third-round picks, Turner and company should be banging the table for this Randy Moss type of receiver.
Mid-to-Late Round Targets
Chris Watt: The Vikings have been trying long and hard to upgrade the left guard position, and weed current starter Charlie Johnson, out of the starting lineup. Spielman has had great success with interior lineman in the later rounds hitting on starting center John Sullivan and right guard Brandon Fusco, both in the sixth round. Watt is likely on Spielman’s radar for the sheer fact that he wears a Notre Dame Irish jersey (four Irish alums on the current roster), but the fact is Watt would likely replace Johnson as the starter sometime after training camp.
Cody Hoffman: Who’s it going to be? I’ve made it clear the Vikings will look to add a big-bodied wide out, that can stretch the field vertically for Norv Turner’s offense, but when will they feel comfortable enough to spend a draft pick on a position that is near the bottom of the totem pole of priorities, is the bigger question.
Hoffman would be an ideal candidate as a late-round option, as his sub-par 40 time and red flags about his ability to separate in the NFL, have pushed him down the rankings. Make no mistake though, when the ball is in the air, not many do a better job of positioning their body to go up and make the play. Hoffman was BYU’s down field option, and should have similar success at the next level, given his natural ability.
Marion Grice: After losing Toby Gerhart to free agency, the Vikings currently have no back-up plan behind Peterson at this point. With a bevy of talented running backs in this class, Spielman and his staff certainly have plans of adding depth at the position. Grice had big time success in both the run and the pass game at Arizona State, scoring nearly 20 touchdowns in 2013.
What makes Grice so special though, is his receiving capabilities out of the backfield, as he was used in the passing game for the Sun Devils as much as anyone. Grice plucks down balls many receivers wouldn’t come up with, making him a major weapon for Turner on third downs in a Darren Sproles type-role, but more importantly would help save some wear and tear off of Peterson.
Jackson Jeffcoat: Not much depth in place behind defensive ends Everson Griffen and Brian Robinson, after the departure of Jarred Allen. Jeffcoat, who has NFL bloodlines (father played for the Cowboys) showed flashes of dominance for the Longhorns, but was riddled by injuries throughout his college career. Jeffcoat is considered a “tweener” with his size, and would need to bulk up to play with his hand in the ground on a consistent basis at defensive end. Much like Griffen and Robinson, Spielman could nail another late round pick with Jeffcoat in the fourth-round, as a impactful rotational guy on the defensive line.
Final Seven-Round Mock
1. (7) Johnny Manziel, Quarterback, Texas A&M
2. (40) Jimmie Ward, Safety, Northern Illinois
3. (72) Martavis Bryant, Wide Receiver, Clemson
3. (96) Keith McGill, Cornerback, Utah State
4. (108) Jordan Tripp, Linebacker, Montana
5. (148) Marion Grice, Running Back, Arizona State
6. (184) Aaron Lynch, Defensive End, USF
7. (223) Anthony Steen, Guard, Alabama