Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

A forum for the hard core Minnesota Vikings fan. Discuss upcoming games, opponents, trades, draft or what ever is on the minds of Viking fans!

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
frosted
Career Elite Player
Posts: 2157
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:30 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by frosted »

http://espn.go.com/blog/minnesota-vikin ... r-mckinnon
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The more film Kirby Wilson watched of the 5-foot-9 option quarterback from the fifth-largest school in Georgia, the more convinced he was that Jerick McKinnon could be a NFL running back, after all.

Yes, McKinnon was inexperienced, and yes, he would be coming to the NFL from a scheme that resemebles nothing like what professional teams run, but there was enough on tape of McKinnon to reward those willing to extrapolate.
Jerick excites me. Like a few of the draft picks this year, he is 'raw', but he certainly has a lot of potential to tap into. It seems that most fans were quite disappointed when we selected him at the end of the third round, but if they really believe in him, and he is the guy they wanted for the role they are envisioning for him, then they needed to take him at that spot, especially considering that we didn't have a pick in the fourth round. I for one like the pick, and I'm cautiously optimistic that he's going to become a fan favorite - he seems like a lunch-pail type of player who is willing to do whatever he is asked.

Here's to hoping he has himself a nice NFL highlight reel by this time next year.
Funkytown
Hall of Fame Inductee
Posts: 4044
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:26 pm
Location: Northeast, Iowa
x 1
Contact:

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by Funkytown »

Definitely. The more I read, the more I like. :govikes:

As far as fans disliking the pick, where was he projected to go? Anywhere? The reason I ask is, I was reading something on all of our picks (somewhere) and they had their projections listed and where we got them, but there was nothing there for McKinnon. Seems weird for someone who had one heck of a combine; we all know how important the combine and pro days are for the draft. :D
Image
Slick Rick
Transition Player
Posts: 394
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2013 8:40 am

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by Slick Rick »

I like the 3 backs we've got right now. Obviously AP is going to be the #1, but Asiata and McKinnon just seem like they would compliment him perfectly with their skill sets.
frosted
Career Elite Player
Posts: 2157
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:30 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by frosted »

Funkytown wrote:Definitely. The more I read, the more I like. :govikes:

As far as fans disliking the pick, where was he projected to go? Anywhere? The reason I ask is, I was reading something on all of our picks (somewhere) and they had their projections listed and where we got them, but there was nothing there for McKinnon. Seems weird for someone who had one heck of a combine; we all know how important the combine and pro days are for the draft. :D
I want to say I saw on one website that he was projected to be a "mid round" pick? Hard to say I guess, a lot of those websites had Yankey pegged as a 2nd rounder, so who really knows..



http://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/5/16/ ... -do-it-all
Jerick McKinnon is an athletic phenom. Every year, you hear it about almost every draftee—in an industry where "rare" talent is common and "average for his position" is an insult, we've really found ways to dilute the meaning of a "freak athlete" and what it means to truly be a dominant physical performer.

Jadeveon Clowney and Aaron Donald may truly be unreal physical performers, but Jerick McKinnon is a wunderkind.
User avatar
Mothman
Defensive Tackle
Posts: 38292
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2003 11:48 am
Location: Chicago, IL
x 409

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by Mothman »

Funkytown wrote:Definitely. The more I read, the more I like. :govikes:

As far as fans disliking the pick, where was he projected to go? Anywhere?
NFLDraftScout.com (who do the draft profiles for the CBS site) had him projected as a 4th round pick.
mondry
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8455
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:53 pm

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by mondry »

The biggest thing is our draft turned out almost exactly how I would have wanted it to anyway. Let's say we take Yankey in the 3rd and Mckinnon in the 5th, what is the difference? None really, so it's not a big deal. In fact if we did take Yankey first it's possible we don't get Mckinnon so at the end of the day it worked out.
PacificNorseWest
Career Elite Player
Posts: 2936
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 1:10 am
Location: Seattle, Wa
x 150

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by PacificNorseWest »

He sounds promising.
Eli
Hall of Famer
Posts: 7946
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2004 5:52 pm

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by Eli »

I wonder how many Patriot fans are excited about Jimmy Garoppolo? Is McKinnon the heir apparent to Peterson? Is that what you're all excited about? Because I'm trying to imagine how, while the Vikings have Adrian Peterson on the team, anyone would be thrilled to see anyone else carry the ball.
Last edited by Eli on Sat May 17, 2014 11:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Texas Vike
Hall of Fame Inductee
Posts: 4672
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 9:52 am
x 405

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by Texas Vike »

Mothman wrote: NFLDraftScout.com (who do the draft profiles for the CBS site) had him projected as a 4th round pick.
Same with CBS.com (4th round, pick 138). i think some fans may have wanted a RB with more college production. In McKinnon, we got a guy with upside and possibly rare physical talent that can hopefully be molded into a RB/ Utility man. I know some compared him to Joe Webb, but his build and playing experience is different and I think he has a better chance to actually find a role (or several) and contribute.
User avatar
Mothman
Defensive Tackle
Posts: 38292
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2003 11:48 am
Location: Chicago, IL
x 409

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by Mothman »

Texas Vike wrote: Same with CBS.com (4th round, pick 138).

That's what i was clumsily trying to say above. :)
I do too.

The Vikings are clearly banking on their coaching staff's ability to teach and develop talent. I think most, if not all, coaches believe they can mold a talented player into what they need him to be for them. That's one of the reasons we see some players who never make it bounce around from team to team to team before they end up out of the league. The next coach is always the one who thinks he can "fix" that player. Sometimes they do...

Hopefully, the Vikes staff will be able to succeed more than they fail with some of the "raw" prospects they've added to the team. McKinnon is definitely an intriguing player and not just because of his workout numbers but because he seems to be an instinctive, athletic player. Hopefully, he's a quick steady when it comes to pass protection too, since he'll probably be in on quite a few third downs.
mondry
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8455
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:53 pm

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by mondry »

Eli wrote:I wonder how many Patriot fans are excited about Jimmy Garoppolo? Is McKinnon the heir apparent to Peterson? Is that what you're all excited about? Because I'm trying to imagine how, while the Vikings have Adrian Peterson on the team, anyone would be thrilled to see anyone else carry the ball.


I like Mckinnon because unlike Gerhart he can actually compliment AD and he'll actually do some things BETTER than Peterson, unlike Gerhart who was just the same but worse in every way. He's smaller and shiftier and a better pass catcher so he can run routes out of the backfield better and create separation. He may also return punts, something we don't want Peterson doing, that's for sure. He's thrown a few touchdown passes even so there are some really interesting things he can do.

I don't mind Mckinnon getting carries, we need Peterson fresh for the superbowl run. Before we had no hope and coaches who just wanted to ride him to keep their jobs. With Turner and Zimmer it'll be more about keeping him fresh for the playoffs as our seasons will go from 17 weeks to 21 including the superbowl and you don't want Peterson to have 450+ carries by then.
Eli
Hall of Famer
Posts: 7946
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2004 5:52 pm

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by Eli »

So, you're looking two, three or four years down the road, when the Vikings can make the playoffs again? Assuming the QB situation gets fixed. And the defensive problems. And that Peterson still has the wheels.
User avatar
Mothman
Defensive Tackle
Posts: 38292
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2003 11:48 am
Location: Chicago, IL
x 409

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by Mothman »

Eli wrote:So, you're looking two, three or four years down the road, when the Vikings can make the playoffs again?
Two years down the road isn't exactly a long way and why can't they make the playoffs this season? I'm not saying they will but they're just one season removed from a playoff appearance, they had a winning record over the second half of last season and if they'd actually been able to preserve the 5 late game leads they blew, they might have made the playoffs again last year.
Assuming the QB situation gets fixed. And the defensive problems. And that Peterson still has the wheels.
...and what's one way to help him preserve those wheels? Reduce his workload a little. That's why some people might be excited about having a player behind him on the depth chart who can make some plays or possibly step up and be an effective starter if Peterson needs to recover from an injury. Gerhart did that. Taylor did that and as far as being "thrilled" to see someone other than Peterson carry the ball: was it not thrilling to see Gerhart break a big run against the Ravens late in the game last year? Were some of Chester Taylor's big plays as Peterson's backup not exciting?
frosted
Career Elite Player
Posts: 2157
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:30 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by frosted »

Eli wrote:I wonder how many Patriot fans are excited about Jimmy Garoppolo? Is McKinnon the heir apparent to Peterson? Is that what you're all excited about? Because I'm trying to imagine how, while the Vikings have Adrian Peterson on the team, anyone would be thrilled to see anyone else carry the ball.
I can't speak for anyone else, but personally, I like good football players. I believe that McKinnon can be a good football player. That is what I am excited about.
mondry
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8455
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:53 pm

Re: Vikings have big hopes for McKinnon

Post by mondry »

Eli wrote:So, you're looking two, three or four years down the road, when the Vikings can make the playoffs again? Assuming the QB situation gets fixed. And the defensive problems. And that Peterson still has the wheels.
This year I'd put it at about 75% we make a deep playoff run, next year 90%.
Post Reply