Arnette is one of those 'plugged in the tape to watch the other guy and he caught my eye instead' evaluations. I wanted to see what all the hype was about for Okuda, and while he certainly looks the part I don't see Top 5 CB in the League, which is what will be expected of him.
What I did see was Arnette. Making plays. A lot. I think he has legit CB2 potential and would love to land him in the 3rd.
I have a hard time taking Corner early, for like the first time in my life. After Henderson I see a bunch of dudes that are all close enough talent-wise that, when combined with where the team is at right now, I just can't take one earlier than the 3rd.
Gladney or Johnson isn't going to come in as a Rookie and immediately become CB1. Not with this truncated offseason. They're also not addressing the Defense's biggest weakness, which is getting into too many 3rd and shorts because they can't stop the run.
Hughes is a 1st. Hill would have been a 3rd without the off the field stuff. He's exactly the type of rangey kid that Scouts love so much and as BarrNone keeps correctly pointing out, Minnesota has stuck with him through thick and thin in a way that they didn't do with someone like Kearse.
Adding a veteran like Kirkpatrick would have more of an impact next year than Gladney or Johnson or Terrell. What would have more impact than that? Getting some interior prescence to stop the run and get after the passer.
I'm looking 3T, WR and OG/OT as positions that can have a bigger impact on the team next year as Rookies IF the Vikings hit on the right kids. Arnette or Hall or Dantzler or Pride can all help the CB Unit for much cheaper without having a drastic falloff from how a late 1st Round pick could.