2014 Vikings Draft Options

[Laserman]

Grab the best Corner , DE or LB available in the first round. Bridgewater and Manzeil will both be gone by our pick and any other QB is a risk/reach first round pick that more than likely will end up like Ponder

[Purple bruise]

That is my belief as well. One of the Vikings biggest weaknesses is their inability to stop RBs at the first level with the DL. There seem to be only a handful of run stopping DTs in this draft.

There were no trades factored in, but I would not be averse to trading up for Manziel or Bridgewater. I imagine the coaches hired will have a major effect on who the team targets in the draft, so my list may be pretty obsolete when it's all said and done.

Actually making stops of running backs on the line of scrimmage has a lot to do with both the linebackers that the DL. The D linemen have to "occupy" blockers so that the LBs can come in the gaps and make those types of stops. That is the part of J. Allen's game that I hated. Always looking for a sack he would often times play himself out of position, not occupy the tackle, or close down on him and leave the OLB out on an island resulting in effective gains in the ground game.

[22bsmith]

I'm 100% on-board with drafting the best player available. We have gotten burned when we draft for "need" before. Let's take the player in every round that will make our team better and make an instant impact. With that said, I only trust Bridgewater and Manziel to do that at the quarterback position. I would rather wait and take Boyd in the 2-3 round than reach for Carr or Bortles.

1st Round Options (assuming Bridgewater/Manziel are gone)

Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson - I realize we have great talent at WR, but can you really have enough? Imagine him and Patterson on the outside with Jennings in the slot and Rudolph at TE - who do you want to beat you? Watkins is the real deal. Soft hands, nice routes, elite speed and YAC ability.

Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA - I think he'll be gone, but this kid is a stud. Elite speed and pass-rushing ability. I think he could by hybrid type guy that could play OLB or put his hand in the ground.

Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo - This is my favorite option. Love his skill-set, and a guy from Buffalo has to have a chip on his shoulder. Ideal OLB.

These are guys I'd be okay taking at 8. If none are available, I say we try to trade down and nab an extra 2-3 round pick. Once we trade down, I'd love CJ Mosley, Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, Justin Gilbert (top CB in my opinion), Darquez Denard, Louis Nix (if we end up moving to a 3-4, he'd be a necessity), Vic Beasley (another dynamic pass-rusher).

I realize we NEED an upgrade at QB in order to make the playoffs. But that doesn't mean he has to be picked at 8. Our defense was awful this past year, there's plenty of upgrades needed, especially with Allen, Williams, and Greenway potentially leaving town.

[Thor88]

I completely agree that the vikings shouldnt take a QB in the first round, none of the QB's in the draft are sure fire franchise QB's according to things i've read this QB class is nothing like recent years. For those saying the time is now, the time is not now there are way to many problems with this team right now i feel they are 3-5 years away from being a playoff contender. they should go with best player available keep the rebuilding process going the last couple drafts have been pretty good with some young promising players. I think the addition of a true #1 wide reciever thats big a physical like mike evans would do wonders, if not him pick a spot on defense, vikes need help at every position on the defense and defense is what wins championships.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

If Sammy Watkins makes it to eight, you have to take him. Same goes for Anthony Barr.

[PurpleScout]

Sorry to say but Bortels, may go top 5. He is being compared to Rothlisberger and the Vikes Scouts are high on him already. I think they end up either trading up for him or getting Johnny Football because of his off field distractions and perceived lack of height. If they are all gone Carr intrigues me but only if we trade down into the 20s somewhere. After that if we don't get a QB I say we throw our 2nd round pick and one of our 3rds to the Patriots and take Mallett off their hands. I think the guy could be scary in the right offense. More I think of it, why don't we just do that and draft best defensive player at #8. Who knows maybe Clowney falls to us like Peterson. We know it can happen.

[PacificNorseWest]

Sorry to say but Bortels, may go top 5. He is being compared to Rothlisberger and the Vikes Scouts are high on him already. I think they end up either trading up for him or getting Johnny Football because of his off field distractions and perceived lack of height. If they are all gone Carr intrigues me but only if we trade down into the 20s somewhere. After that if we don't get a QB I say we throw our 2nd round pick and one of our 3rds to the Patriots and take Mallett off their hands. I think the guy could be scary in the right offense. More I think of it, why don't we just do that and draft best defensive player at #8. Who knows maybe Clowney falls to us like Peterson. We know it can happen.

Did you see Carr in Fresno's bowl game?

Just curious because I hadn't seen much of him until that poind and went away from it very underwhelmed. I just wasn't impressed with him at all.

[SkyFire]

Did you see Carr in Fresno's bowl game?

Just curious because I hadn't seen much of him until that poind and went away from it very underwhelmed. I just wasn't impressed with him at all.

That game was what made his draft stock fall. If you look at some of the other games he's played, he's got a great arm and times passes perfectly.

[Demi]

Probably against little children of the poor. Easy to make throws when you have no pressure and your receivers are wide open. Ask him to do more. Uh Oh!

I almost want Manziel...we'll probably be stuck with one of these "rising stock" bums otherwise...

[PacificNorseWest]

That game was what made his draft stock fall. If you look at some of the other games he's played, he's got a great arm and times passes perfectly.

So, the one game against NFL talent we're just gonna throw away?

[SkyFire]

So, the one game against NFL talent we're just gonna throw away?

I did not say that at all. I agree, that was not a good game at all. But the fact that he has great arm strength and great timing doesn't change because of that.

I tracked him throughout the year and I will admit, he's not the best QB in the draft by far, but at pick #8, I believe he's our best option.

[PacificNorseWest]

I did not say that at all. I agree, that was not a good game at all. But the fact that he has great arm strength and great timing doesn't change because of that.

I tracked him throughout the year and I will admit, he's not the best QB in the draft by far, but at pick #8, I believe he's our best option.

That sounds horrible. That's how GM's get canned and windows are lost. Not the best by far (we can all agree), yet draft him 8th overall when there's guys like CJ Mosely, Dennard, Nix on the board. No way.

[Purple bruise]

No way do I want the Vikes to take Carr. If I had to choose between Carr and Bortles it would be Bortles. If Bortles and Manziel are both gone then take Barr, Mack, or Nix.

[SotaFan]

Here's the issue that can create a problem, and some have addressed this issue. People, even GM's, evaluate QBs against one another in a draft class...instead of evaluating the individual QB vs. potential NFL defenses.

You can't look at a draft class with "x" number of QBs and say, "Well player A > B and C > D, therefore if A, B, and C are gone in the first round by default we take D in the first"

For my money, Manziel is the only QB I am personally comfortable with in the early first...and it's still not a "lock" for me...Johnny Football is not a no brainer like Andrew Luck. Given, there were questions whether Luck or RG3 would be taken, or who has more upside, I just thought Luck had franchise written all over him.

For me, if Manziel is gone take best available. LB, CB, or NT would be ideal in my mind. Barr, Mosley or Nix are guys that could step in and have a solid impact from game 1 in my opinion.

[dkoby]

I would love to get Borland in the third. Guy reminds me of Chris Speilman. Always around the ball.