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OL combine
#1
Just some thoughts after the combine on the linemen.

Andre Dillard - He was the star of the combine for linemen.  Showed elite movement for a big guy.   Posted the top broad jump and 20 yard shuttle, while the 40 isnt huge he ran very well there as well.  Projects to be a very capable zbs tackle.  He'd be a perfect fit for us at 18, not sure he makes it there now.

Chris Lindstrom - he solidified himself as one of the top guards in the class during the combine thanks to a great showing.  Second fastest 40 time and just behind Dillard in the 20 yard shuttle.  As a guard he has zbs athleticism to contribute and play day 1.  Probably a 1st round zbs pick for someone.

Garrett Bradbury- another guard that killed it in the drills.  Second on the bench,  3rd in the 40 at 4.92 and solid in the agility drills.  Could have moved from a solid day 2/day 3 to a potential late 1 early 2.  A zbs team is going to take him early, could be an incredible pulling center or guard.  What could hurt him is his short arms (31 in),but outside of that he has good size and can move.

Guys that hurt themselves 

Jonah Williams- looked like an average NFL linemen from an athletic standpoint.  Did nothing great and his measurables again were average.  He is a technician and I dont think he projects well to tackle being just 6'4" and 302 he really is on the smaller side for a guard and tackle.  He is still a first rounder but not a sure fire 10 year starter mainly because unless he moves to center i dont see a great spot for him.

Greg Little - Slow and not explosive in drills.  Unless he does better at the pro day he could slide to the 3rd or 4th round.  Also didnt measure as big as I thought he would at 6'5" and 310, he is purely a right tackle prospect in the NFL, he didnt show the movement skills to play on the left side and is known to be fundamentally flawed at times.

Cody Ford -  I was really looking for him to look good, but he did not show first round athleticism.  Poor strength (19 reps), slow 40 (5.21).  He measure like a big guard at 6'4" 329 with 34 in arms, which will hurt his stock in the draft probably dropping him to late 1st round range.  He is purely a road grader and I dont think he will fit the Vikings scheme, probably not high on our board.



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#2
The question i have for film geeks is who did Dillard block against and win that would be impressive? 
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#3
Quote: @Bullazin said:
The question i have for film geeks is who did Dillard block against and win that would be impressive? 
Montez Sweat at the Senior Bowl.
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#4
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.catscra...-nfl-draft

A good review of him.  He is as good as their is in pass pro could use some work in the run game just due to the lack of exposure in his college scheme.  Plug and play LT and could be a huge get at 18, I'd be surprised if he is there though.
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#5
Good breakdown.

Little starting to show the poor traits that could explain the unimpressive film. Still, tempting at 50 if he's there. 

I think folks are overrating Dillard a little bit. No doubt, best pass blocking left tackle in the draft, but it's hard to see him come in and be able to run block NFL defenders. He's going to need some time I think. And I'm not one who thinks he can project to guard. I've seen some put him there, but why would you do that? That just seems stupid to me. 

I don't think Garrett Bradbury was ever a day-three pick. A few of the more astute analysts had him in the late 1st round even before the Senior Bowl. He's not going to appeal to gap teams at all so where he goes is hard to project. 

One of my fantasies is double dipping with Bradbury and Lindstrom. Can you imagine? The interior set for a decade. 

I'm going to disagree on Cody Ford. His tape is just too good to let combine numbers impact his grade too much. And they're not even that bad. 5.2 for a 6-4, 329 human is not slow. And I wouldn't worry about 19 reps either. His explosion, tenacity and RESULTS make up for whatever athleticism metrics he might lack. You might be right about the ill-fit in a zone though. Vikings could've taken a similar player last year in Hernandez and passed. 
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#6
I'd probably pull both hamstrings and my groin doing a happy dance if we doubled down on Gs in the first two rounds...

Trying to break down the 17 picks before ours, I see 3 QBs going...Murray, Haskins, and Lock, probably in that order...possibly 8 DL, Williams, Bosa, Sweat, Allen, Gary, Ferrell, Oliver, and Burns...1 RB, Jacobs...2 LBs, Bush and White...and possibly 3 skill position player, Metcalf and the two Iowa TEs...1 CB in Greedy Williams...there are 6 OL men I'd have no issue with at 18...Taylor, Williams, Dillard, Ford, Bradbury, and Lindstrom...hopefully Rick sees it the same way...
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#7
Quote: @"BarrNone55" said:
I'd probably pull both hamstrings and my groin doing a happy dance if we doubled down on Gs in the first two rounds...

Trying to break down the 17 picks before ours, I see 3 QBs going...Murray, Haskins, and Lock, probably in that order...possibly 8 DL, Williams, Bosa, Sweat, Allen, Gary, Ferrell, Oliver, and Burns...1 RB, Jacobs...2 LBs, Bush and White...and possibly 3 skill position player, Metcalf and the two Iowa TEs...1 CB in Greedy Williams...there are 6 OL men I'd have no issue with at 18...Taylor, Williams, Dillard, Ford, Bradbury, and Lindstrom...hopefully Rick sees it the same way...
Most of the time it seems the number of desirable players in a draft is exactly "X-1" with "X" being the slot at which the Vikings pick.  I wouldn't say that this year. 

There's going to be a lot of value at DL and OL at 18. I could even see them trading down because the value at those positions stays strong well into the 2nd round. After 50 it drops off quite a bit for those positions IMO. But that's where the value at other positions of need like WR and TE, seems good.  
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#8
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
Good breakdown.

Little starting to show the poor traits that could explain the unimpressive film. Still, tempting at 50 if he's there. 

I think folks are overrating Dillard a little bit. No doubt, best pass blocking left tackle in the draft, but it's hard to see him come in and be able to run block NFL defenders. He's going to need some time I think. And I'm not one who thinks he can project to guard. I've seen some put him there, but why would you do that? That just seems stupid to me. 

I don't think Garrett Bradbury was ever a day-three pick. A few of the more astute analysts had him in the late 1st round even before the Senior Bowl. He's not going to appeal to gap teams at all so where he goes is hard to project. 

One of my fantasies is double dipping with Bradbury and Lindstrom. Can you imagine? The interior set for a decade. 

I'm going to disagree on Cody Ford. His tape is just too good to let combine numbers impact his grade too much. And they're not even that bad. 5.2 for a 6-4, 329 human is not slow. And I wouldn't worry about 19 reps either. His explosion, tenacity and RESULTS make up for whatever athleticism metrics he might lack. You might be right about the ill-fit in a zone though. Vikings could've taken a similar player last year in Hernandez and passed. 

Agreed on most points.


I am really high on Bradbury and Lindstom as well, but if we could get Ford and Risner, we have also done very well.
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#9
Quote: @IceRatz16 said:
@MaroonBells said:
Good breakdown.

Little starting to show the poor traits that could explain the unimpressive film. Still, tempting at 50 if he's there. 

I think folks are overrating Dillard a little bit. No doubt, best pass blocking left tackle in the draft, but it's hard to see him come in and be able to run block NFL defenders. He's going to need some time I think. And I'm not one who thinks he can project to guard. I've seen some put him there, but why would you do that? That just seems stupid to me. 

I don't think Garrett Bradbury was ever a day-three pick. A few of the more astute analysts had him in the late 1st round even before the Senior Bowl. He's not going to appeal to gap teams at all so where he goes is hard to project. 

One of my fantasies is double dipping with Bradbury and Lindstrom. Can you imagine? The interior set for a decade. 

I'm going to disagree on Cody Ford. His tape is just too good to let combine numbers impact his grade too much. And they're not even that bad. 5.2 for a 6-4, 329 human is not slow. And I wouldn't worry about 19 reps either. His explosion, tenacity and RESULTS make up for whatever athleticism metrics he might lack. You might be right about the ill-fit in a zone though. Vikings could've taken a similar player last year in Hernandez and passed. 

Agreed on most points.


I am really high on Bradbury and Lindstom as well, but if we could get Ford and Risner, we have also done very well.
Totally agree. It's going to be very hard to screw this one up. Like I've said before, whether we want DL or OL, there are going to be at least 6 to 8 players to choose from who are going to come in and help us right away. 
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#10
I'm not sold on Bradbury at 18.  He is a great athlete but strictly a center with short arms.  I see bigger NFL tackles eating his lunch.  If he was bigger, like 320 with that athleticism I'd be in, or if he had longer arms, but I can see him failing to engage and getting thrown around.  I saw him as a day 2 but purely a system guy (zone only) and that hurts how highly he could go because systems change and he could be wasted in a power system if we go to that style in a few seasons.  Teams will look at that when looking at Bradbury.

Dillard was a concern to me coming from a spread system because you can get away with less athleticism due to the line spreads.  His combine showed to me a lot of what I needed to see from him.  He has great pass blocking fundamentals and will be a long time starter in the modern pass game.  If he is there he should be taken, even if his run blocking isnt great, but he moves well and that will translate to the ZBS.  I'm curious to hear about Taylor's pro day at Florida as he could be the only other guy to challenge Dillard as the top tackle.

I put it in another post but I'm all about trading down in this draft if we can pick up another 2nd to do so.  In the mid 20s I'm good with about 4 guys (assuming Dillard is gone and Taylor has a good pro day) just depending on which other guys are on the board at WR, DE, DT and LB.  If we stay at 18 I just think a DT or one of the LBs will be there and to me their value is so much high than the linemen even with the need we have.  I'd compare the other linemen (outside of Dillard and potential Taylor) as day 1 rookie starters to signing a mid level free agent in terms of ability.  Long term is different but I'm looking at our window as near term.


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