On Monday, Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network released his latest mock draft, in which he helped the Vikings out by having them select Minnesota Gophers center, John Michael Schmitz.
Quote:“John Michael Schmitz was one of the biggest risers after the Senior Bowl and the Vikings desperately need a versatile interior offensive lineman to upgrade that position. The Vikings need to add an element of toughness to their offense to be able to impose their will running the football. Schmitz should help them do both things.”
While not a splashy pick, this would definitely fill a need for the Vikings and give them stability at the center position for the next decade or more. Schmitz has incredible strength and is a technician with his hands and footwork. He should thrive wherever he is picked.
It’s also noteworthy that Schmitz’s agent is former Vikings offensive lineman Jeremiah Sirles.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/the-draft-network-sends-gophers-center-to-the-vikings-in-latest-mock-draft/ar-AA17JuSD?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=1fe72b95dabe481e9a4eed67b9e99f6f
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
On Monday, Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network released his latest mock draft, in which he helped the Vikings out by having them select Minnesota Gophers center, John Michael Schmitz.
“John Michael Schmitz was one of the biggest risers after the Senior Bowl and the Vikings desperately need a versatile interior offensive lineman to upgrade that position. The Vikings need to add an element of toughness to their offense to be able to impose their will running the football. Schmitz should help them do both things.”
While not a splashy pick, this would definitely fill a need for the Vikings and give them stability at the center position for the next decade or more. Schmitz has incredible strength and is a technician with his hands and footwork. He should thrive wherever he is picked.
It’s also noteworthy that Schmitz’s agent is former Vikings offensive lineman Jeremiah Sirles.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/the-draft-network-sends-gophers-center-to-the-vikings-in-latest-mock-draft/ar-AA17JuSD?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=1fe72b95dabe481e9a4eed67b9e99f6f
If the Vikings fix their defense in free agency, and Bradbury goes elsewhere, center could start to make a little sense. I like JMS but think 23 might be a little high for him. I like Steve Avila a little better right now. He's listed mostly at guard, but he played all three IOL positions at the Senior Bowl. And the kid is a box of bricks.
While I am not buying the in season hype on Bradbury, I will say it would make me a little ill to see us have to use another high draft pick on a center. A first in this draft would give us 3 stabs at the position in the last 6 years, eating 2 first round picks and a 3rd round pick. Ugh... but its not on this regime so I guess....just get it fixed. 
" this would definitely fill a need for the Vikings and give them stability at the center position for the next decade or more."
As much as I would like to see this, they said the same thing about the last two highly drafted centers.
Most championship teams are pretty good on both sides of the ball. I think Kwesi will trade back and draft defense early. But if the best player available is offense, I wouldn't be disappointed.
I don't know anything about the various prospects yet, but I do think that fixing the OLine, however we do it, would have a greater impact than upgrading our skill position players on offense.
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
On Monday, Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network released his latest mock draft, in which he helped the Vikings out by having them select Minnesota Gophers center, John Michael Schmitz.
“John Michael Schmitz was one of the biggest risers after the Senior Bowl and the Vikings desperately need a versatile interior offensive lineman to upgrade that position. The Vikings need to add an element of toughness to their offense to be able to impose their will running the football. Schmitz should help them do both things.”
While not a splashy pick, this would definitely fill a need for the Vikings and give them stability at the center position for the next decade or more. Schmitz has incredible strength and is a technician with his hands and footwork. He should thrive wherever he is picked.
It’s also noteworthy that Schmitz’s agent is former Vikings offensive lineman Jeremiah Sirles.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/the-draft-network-sends-gophers-center-to-the-vikings-in-latest-mock-draft/ar-AA17JuSD?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=1fe72b95dabe481e9a4eed67b9e99f6f
I would really hate that pick. I will bet that the history of first round centers is bleak to awful. I wonder if anyone would like this pick if the player had not played his college ball in Minnesota. Nothing against Schmitz; I saw him at the Senior Bowl practices. He's very good. But he's a Center. Hard pass for me.
Quote: @dadevike said:
@ purplefaithful said:
On Monday, Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network released his latest mock draft, in which he helped the Vikings out by having them select Minnesota Gophers center, John Michael Schmitz.
“John Michael Schmitz was one of the biggest risers after the Senior Bowl and the Vikings desperately need a versatile interior offensive lineman to upgrade that position. The Vikings need to add an element of toughness to their offense to be able to impose their will running the football. Schmitz should help them do both things.”
While not a splashy pick, this would definitely fill a need for the Vikings and give them stability at the center position for the next decade or more. Schmitz has incredible strength and is a technician with his hands and footwork. He should thrive wherever he is picked.
It’s also noteworthy that Schmitz’s agent is former Vikings offensive lineman Jeremiah Sirles.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/the-draft-network-sends-gophers-center-to-the-vikings-in-latest-mock-draft/ar-AA17JuSD?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=1fe72b95dabe481e9a4eed67b9e99f6f
I would really hate that pick. I will bet that the history of first round centers is bleak to awful. I wonder if anyone would like this pick if the player had not played his college ball in Minnesota. Nothing against Schmitz; I saw him at the Senior Bowl practices. He's very good. But he's a Center. Hard pass for me.
He's got a lot in common with Bradbury. Both outside zone centers, identical in size, reach blocking specialists. But this is what I call the "green grass" period, where every draft pick and everyone else's free agents are better than the ones we've already got.
To me there are some pretty easy decisions to make on the roster, but Bradbury isn't one of them. This one's all about the money. I don't want to spend a ton of money on him and I absolutely don't want to commit to him long-term. But the LAST thing we need is a downgrade at the position, which is pretty easy to do if we're not careful.
Quote: @dadevike said:
@ purplefaithful said:
On Monday, Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network released his latest mock draft, in which he helped the Vikings out by having them select Minnesota Gophers center, John Michael Schmitz.
“John Michael Schmitz was one of the biggest risers after the Senior Bowl and the Vikings desperately need a versatile interior offensive lineman to upgrade that position. The Vikings need to add an element of toughness to their offense to be able to impose their will running the football. Schmitz should help them do both things.”
While not a splashy pick, this would definitely fill a need for the Vikings and give them stability at the center position for the next decade or more. Schmitz has incredible strength and is a technician with his hands and footwork. He should thrive wherever he is picked.
It’s also noteworthy that Schmitz’s agent is former Vikings offensive lineman Jeremiah Sirles.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/the-draft-network-sends-gophers-center-to-the-vikings-in-latest-mock-draft/ar-AA17JuSD?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=1fe72b95dabe481e9a4eed67b9e99f6f
I would really hate that pick. I will bet that the history of first round centers is bleak to awful. I wonder if anyone would like this pick if the player had not played his college ball in Minnesota. Nothing against Schmitz; I saw him at the Senior Bowl practices. He's very good. But he's a Center. Hard pass for me.
If you are keeping Cousins around you better fix the OL or its just pissing 35 million down your leg. Even if you decide to move on from him after this year we need to improve our IOL, although a non statue QB would make them look better, but still a liability in obvious running situations.
I agree that the Bradbury situation is a tricky one to navigate. He may have reached his ceiling play wise and the $/terms will be the deciding factor. Plus some other team may just decide he's the cats meow and give him a deal he cant refuse.
Either way, we are all in agreement the Vikings need to get "stouter" in the trenches for both their lines.
Am very much looking forward to the next 5/6 weeks.
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
I agree that the Bradbury situation is a tricky one to navigate. He may have reached his ceiling play wise and the $/terms will be the deciding factor. Plus some other team may just decide he's the cats meow and give him a deal he cant refuse.
Either way, we are all in agreement the Vikings need to get "stouter" in the trenches for both their lines.
Am very much looking forward to the next 5/6 weeks.
Theres nothing tricky with GB, hes hasn't shown to have the strength and anchor to be a starting center, especially for a pocket QB. If he went somewhere with a QB that can move and avoid the rush, he will probably have a decent career, but there is still the matter of him not being able to move anybody.
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