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So I haven't watched a lot of Iowa football this year but know this guy has generated a lot of buzz recently as a potential pick for the Vikings. Just my evaluation on him after watching a few games is that I don't think I would draft him in the top 25. To me he does a good job of penetrating, using leverage and swim moves, but if he doesn't win with his first move he doesn't redirect well and more or less gives up on the play or gets washed out too often. One year of production in a Covid shortened season. This isn't a great group of defensive tackles but if I'm rolling the dice I'm going to do so on Christian Barmore who is the more physically dominant player and carries more upside. Again, I don't know if I've just soured on Hawkeye d-lineman but to me I don't see in Nixon what guys like Kiper are currently seeing.
I've been on the Barmore bandwagon for a bit now. This is a pretty bad year for DT's across the board, but to me Barmore is the best of the bunch and is only getting better. Last year as a RS Freshman he was mostly a rotational guy, this year he started out slow due to a minor knee injury but came on big towards the end of the year. A guy like him would look great in purple and in between Hunter & Pierce imo.
I'll also be honest in that I haven't seen much of Dixon but our recent history with Jaleel Johnson scares me. I know you should scout the player and not the helmet, but I expected much more out of Johnson and in turn it's kind of soured me on Nixon.
Either way, this defense needs a talent upgrade at the 3T big time. Maybe Lynch or Watts eventually get there, but I wouldn't place any bets on that.
Given the weak class @ DT (at least 1st rd) I'm hoping the Vikings like one of the FA's this spring.
Quote: @PurpleCrush said:
I've been on the Barmore bandwagon for a bit now. This is a pretty bad year for DT's across the board, but to me Barmore is the best of the bunch and is only getting better. Last year as a RS Freshman he was mostly a rotational guy, this year he started out slow due to a minor knee injury but came on big towards the end of the year. A guy like him would look great in purple and in between Hunter & Pierce imo.
I'll also be honest in that I haven't seen much of Dixon but our recent history with Jaleel Johnson scares me. I know you should scout the player and not the helmet, but I expected much more out of Johnson and in turn it's kind of soured me on Nixon.
Either way, this defense needs a talent upgrade at the 3T big time. Maybe Lynch or Watts eventually get there, but I wouldn't place any bets on that.
Agreed, he missed those first two games of the season with injury but as the year went on he just started to physically dominate opponents and absolutely blew up at the end of the season. Finished the season with 8 sacks with six of those coming in the last six games for Bama. Carries a lot of upside. Sticking him in next to Pierce on the interior of our defense next season would make us a much stouter unit with the ability to collapse the pocket. 6'5"/315 pounds...sign me up
Sounds like Barmore is definitely back in the conversation. But I wouldn't call Barmore more physically dominant unless you don't consider speed a physical characteristic.
Just some way too early observations: Barmore is bigger and looks better against the run and Nixon looks like a better pass rusher. I think for these two it will come down to pre-draft numbers. Combine times, arm length, etc and whether you need help with the pass or the run.
Either way, we need a 3T in the worst way. What if both Nixon and Barmore before 14? Then we're stuck. Free agency is over and adding a middle round rookie to that group does us no good. We need a star there. Don't take chances: get your 3T in FA.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
Sounds like Barmore is definitely back in the conversation. But I wouldn't call Barmore more physically dominant unless you don't consider speed a physical characteristic.
Just some way too early observations: Barmore is bigger and looks better against the run and Nixon looks like a better pass rusher. I think for these two it will come down to pre-draft numbers. Combine times, arm length, etc and whether you need help with the pass or the run.
Either way, we need a 3T in the worst way. What if both Nixon and Barmore before 14? Then we're stuck. Free agency is over and adding a middle round rookie to that group does us no good. We need a star there. Don't take chances: get your 3T in FA.
I think you're right that we should address 3T in free agency. My preference would be to draft a definite LT like Christian Darrisaw, keep Cleveland at one of the OG positions. I believe you have been suggesting Sheldon Rankins as a FA, right? He seems to be a little inconsistent and had some injuries (the two are likely related). I like that he's relatively young and can still improve with coaching. But Spotrac estimates his market value at $11.3M/yr - maybe that's high, but even so, can we afford him?
Quote: @Jor-El said:
@ MaroonBells said:
Sounds like Barmore is definitely back in the conversation. But I wouldn't call Barmore more physically dominant unless you don't consider speed a physical characteristic.
Just some way too early observations: Barmore is bigger and looks better against the run and Nixon looks like a better pass rusher. I think for these two it will come down to pre-draft numbers. Combine times, arm length, etc and whether you need help with the pass or the run.
Either way, we need a 3T in the worst way. What if both Nixon and Barmore before 14? Then we're stuck. Free agency is over and adding a middle round rookie to that group does us no good. We need a star there. Don't take chances: get your 3T in FA.
I think you're right that we should address 3T in free agency. My preference would be to draft a definite LT like Christian Darrisaw, keep Cleveland at one of the OG positions. I believe you have been suggesting Sheldon Rankins as a FA, right? He seems to be a little inconsistent and had some injuries (the two are likely related). I like that he's relatively young and can still improve with coaching. But Spotrac estimates his market value at $11.3M/yr - maybe that's high, but even so, can we afford him?
It's a very weak free agent crop at the DT position and I don't think with our cap situation that it makes sense to shell out big coin for a player that's questionable anyways. Rankins, as you mentioned would be a perfect example of that. To me we either draft a player at that position or you hope for the continued development of guys like Watts and Hurst.
Quote: @Jor-El said:
@ MaroonBells said:
Sounds like Barmore is definitely back in the conversation. But I wouldn't call Barmore more physically dominant unless you don't consider speed a physical characteristic.
Just some way too early observations: Barmore is bigger and looks better against the run and Nixon looks like a better pass rusher. I think for these two it will come down to pre-draft numbers. Combine times, arm length, etc and whether you need help with the pass or the run.
Either way, we need a 3T in the worst way. What if both Nixon and Barmore before 14? Then we're stuck. Free agency is over and adding a middle round rookie to that group does us no good. We need a star there. Don't take chances: get your 3T in FA.
I think you're right that we should address 3T in free agency. My preference would be to draft a definite LT like Christian Darrisaw, keep Cleveland at one of the OG positions. I believe you have been suggesting Sheldon Rankins as a FA, right? He seems to be a little inconsistent and had some injuries (the two are likely related). I like that he's relatively young and can still improve with coaching. But Spotrac estimates his market value at $11.3M/yr - maybe that's high, but even so, can we afford him?
We can afford pretty much anything we want. It just depends on what sacrifices we're willing to make. Right now, I have us cutting Rudolph, Bailey and Stephen and restructuring a couple, and that should give us enough for Rankins and maybe a mid-tier guard. But if you want more than that, there is a TON of money to be found if you're willing to trade or release Reiff or Harry.
Rankins has been injured almost every year since he was drafted. That's why I think you can get him for somewhere between 8 and 12. I have him at 10. Still, he's a 1st round draft pick who shows flashes when he's healthy. The injuries are a concern, but he gets past them, it's a home run.
If Rick can trade back a few spots and still land Barmore while picking up a 2nd round pick in the process... IMO, that would be an ideal way for the Vikings to kick off the 2021 NFL draft.
If Nixon, Marvin Wilson, Jaylen Twyman or Jay Tufele are also targets, I would consider trading up from round three to land one of them. But as Maroon mentioned, the combine will really make a difference in how these DT get stacked and valued.
The DT class is not top heavy, so, at this point you can't rule out the possibility that one of these second tier guys could actually fall to the Vikings at pick 79.
I think the Vikings like Shamar Stephens and he was PFF's 69th DT out of 127 (not great, but not bad for a 7th rd pick). The question is will the Vikings want to see what he can do lined up next to Michael Pierce and a healthy D. Hunter? Obviously I think he will look better.
James Lynch only had 59 snaps and needs to get much stronger in the off-season, but with that said, I do believe he has a moldable upside as does D.J. Wonnum (their best football is still ahead of them). My point being is A. Patterson and Zimmer might need to get more out of these two in young guys in 2021.
If the Vikings want to upgrade the 3T, I think they need to do it in the first two picks! And with a weak DT class and no second round pick, that puts some pressure on the Vikings.
Quote: @Carl Knowles said:
If Rick can trade back a few spots and still land Barmore while picking up a 2nd round pick in the process... IMO, that would be an ideal way for the Vikings to kick off the 2021 NFL draft.
If Nixon, Marvin Wilson, Jaylen Twyman or Jay Tufele are also targets, I would consider trading up from round three to land one of them. But as Maroon mentioned, the combine will really make a difference in how these DT get stacked and valued.
The DT class is not top heavy, so, at this point you can't rule out the possibility that one of these second tier guys could actually fall to the Vikings at pick 79.
I think the Vikings like Shamar Stephens and he was PFF's 69th DT out of 127 (not great, but not bad for a 7th rd pick). The question is will the Vikings want to see what he can do lined up next to Michael Pierce and a healthy D. Hunter? Obviously I think he will look better.
James Lynch only had 59 snaps and needs to get much stronger in the off-season, but with that said, I do believe he has a moldable upside as does D.J. Wonnum (their best football is still ahead of them). My point being is A. Patterson and Zimmer might need to get more out of these two in young guys in 2021.
If the Vikings want to upgrade the 3T, I think they need to do it in the first two picks! And with a weak DT class and no second round pick, that puts some pressure on the Vikings.
DJ Wonnum is perfect example of how a great coach(Patterson) can unleash a player's true potential once they get to the Pro's. Since Superfreak brought up Iowa, I remember how AJ Epenesa went from a a can't miss first round talent to the 54th pick in the second round with the Bills. He was getting downgraded with his lack of quickness/explosiveness and had a massive freefall on draft day. He had bulked up to 280 at Iowa and struggled at the combine to showcase his skills. Leslie Frazier got a hold of him in Buffalo and had him drop 20 pounds while increasing his strength in the offseason. Since Buffalo's bye week, he has been their starting defensive end and the 3rd highest rated defensive lineman on the Bill's per PFF. Same applies with Nixon. If he has all the tools, and isn't just the product of Iowa's defensive scheme, Patterson will mold him into an excellent 3T. Watching his 71 yard Interception return for a touchdown against Penn State, his athleticism, his power to beat double teams, etc. are all things to get excited about with his potential. With the attention he draws from Offensive Lines, he also makes the players around him better. He might be getting more hype due to a down year for DT's but it's hard to argue with the skills and athleticism he displays on field. I think he definitely makes this defense a lot better up the middle if we can land him at 14 or Barmore who a lot people like better. I don't like the idea of trading down just because we don't have a second round pick. If we can land a stud like Nixon, or an OLineman like Wyatt Davis or Rashawn Slater you can always trade back into the second round with our extra picks. With the QB's getting overvalued in this draft, I'm hoping Davis will be there for us at 14.
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