2025 NFL Combine and Misc Draft Material

[MaroonBells]

Great article. 

Here’s what rang true with me:

If there’s one thing I think Stewart needs to improve on, it’s simply finishing plays. I think he’s such a forceful and explosive athlete that he flies in out of control and ends up flying past the QB or not being able to throttle down to get the sack.

The entire time I’m watching his highlights is “damn he’s so quick and he almost had the QB dead to rights…damn he almost had the RB for a big loss…damn he chased that fly sweep from behind and almost got him”. 

One season Kenchi Udeze had zero sacks but lead the league in pressures. Now Stewart is twice the athlete Udeze could dream of being but my fear is he doesn’t ever become a closer. If we’re talking about him as a third rounder like Hunter or my boy Janarius Robinson, oh giddy up and let’s dance. Day 1? On our roster maybe he fills the Jihad Ward role. 

I think you’d have to play him at 265 on the edge so that the almost plays become stats on the stat sheet. Low floor but high high ceiling.

My biggest concern with him (for us) is fit. He's ideal to be a base end in a 4-3. But does Flores see him with another 10 lbs being a fit at 5T? I don't know. He needs better vision and control, but my God, compare his movement skills with any of the other players we're talking about for that role...the Harmons and the Nolens and there's no comparison. Watch this and keep in mind that only one of these resulted in a sack. 

[JustInTime]

My biggest concern with him (for us) is fit. He's ideal to be a base end in a 4-3. But does Flores see him with another 10 lbs being a fit at 5T? I don't know. He needs better vision and control, but my God, compare his movement skills with any of the other players we're talking about for that role...the Harmons and the Nolens and there's no comparison. Watch this and keep in mind that only one of these resulted in a sack. 

That clip is a part of a larger clip I watched. He can move no question. Can you teach someone to finish? I don't know. Fantastic year for Edges. Wonder if we grab one closer to the guy from Boston College size wise. Landon Jackson is another favorite who doesn't fit the scheme.

[JustInTime]

Getting a returner would be nice. Moore wasn’t particularly strong pre injury. There’s a WR from VaTech if I remember correctly.

[JustInTime]

[JustInTime]

With all the free agency additions, the Vikings have put themselves in position to go nearly anywhere they want with the 24th overall pick. There are good arguments for taking a guard, safety, defensive tackle, cornerback and, yes, even wide receiver. Though O’Connell didn’t seem as sold on the idea of drafting any position where the player wouldn’t have an opportunity to quickly find his way to the field.

“Best player available is good but at some positions the best player available has such a tremendous road block to getting on the field in front of them,” O’Connell said. “When you look at development of positions, some really need to be out there whether it’s physicality or speed of the game, just the reps that come with getting a real opportunity. I think we can be in a best-available mentality but we want to draft players who are going to be high-impact players especially with our first-round picks.”

Purple Insider will remain committed to the wide receiver opinion, regardless.

Anyway, O’Connell was also asked about Jalen Nailor’s position and the confidence in him if Jordan Addison faces a suspension this year relating to a DUI charge last summer.

“For two-and-a-half games we didn’t have [Addison] and we were able to beat the 49ers and the Texans with Jalen Nailor playing huge roles in those games. Speedy, what we were always hoping for was to see what it looked like when he stayed healthy. He learned over the season the different unique ways that Justin gets defended has a direct impact on how he needs to prepare to play. I think Speedy is going to have a great year and I think this is a massive, massive year for his career.”

“We want to make it competitive, whether it’s Rondale or Tim Jones coming in or potentially drafting one, we want to have impactful players in that room because no matter what throwing the football is something that defines the Minnesota Vikings and we’ve done it at a high clip because of our players.”

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[supafreak84]

With all the free agency additions, the Vikings have put themselves in position to go nearly anywhere they want with the 24th overall pick. There are good arguments for taking a guard, safety, defensive tackle, cornerback and, yes, even wide receiver. Though O’Connell didn’t seem as sold on the idea of drafting any position where the player wouldn’t have an opportunity to quickly find his way to the field.

“Best player available is good but at some positions the best player available has such a tremendous road block to getting on the field in front of them,” O’Connell said. “When you look at development of positions, some really need to be out there whether it’s physicality or speed of the game, just the reps that come with getting a real opportunity. I think we can be in a best-available mentality but we want to draft players who are going to be high-impact players especially with our first-round picks.”

Purple Insider will remain committed to the wide receiver opinion, regardless.

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/bill...an-addison

Interesting article and gets into the justification for potentially trading Addison at some point. Do we really want to become the Bengals having your top 2 receivers taking up a large portion of cap? In the meantime, we draft somebody like Emeka Egbuka and this WR group gets very dangerous, very fast on your way to giving our young QB a plethora of weapons. A 3 WR set of Jefferson, Addison and Egbuka would be "3-deep part deaux." I think Nailor is ok as a 3rd, but always have to worry about injury and this is the final year of his contract. Moore is probably more of a 4th or 5th type receiver.

[MaroonBells]

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/bill...an-addison

Interesting article and gets into the justification for potentially trading Addison at some point. Do we really want to become the Bengals having your top 2 receivers taking up a large portion of cap? In the meantime, we draft somebody like Emeka Egbuka and this WR group gets very dangerous, very fast on your way to giving our young QB a plethora of weapons. A 3 WR set of Jefferson, Addison and Egbuka would be "3-deep part deaux." I think Nailor is ok as a 3rd, but always have to worry about injury and this is the final year of his contract. Moore is probably more of a 4th or 5th type receiver.

I can see us maybe trading Addison down the road before we have to give him a new deal. But that's 3 years from now. What's the point of doing it now? You want everyone on board when JJ takes the reigns. Just wishful thinking on the part of a Bills fan. "I think he’d be a fun addition to the Bills offense." Ya think? Want him all you want. People in hell want ice water.

[supafreak84]

I can see us maybe trading Addison down the road before we have to give him a new deal. But that's 3 years from now. What's the point of doing it now? You want everyone on board when JJ takes the reigns. Just wishful thinking on the part of a Bills fan. "I think he’d be a fun addition to the Bills offense." Ya think? Want him all you want. People in hell want ice water.

I love Addison and certainly am not for it, but a decision down the road will need to be made and if a guy like McMillan or Egbuka is on the board for us at #24, drafting them gives us immediate help now...and an option/alternative down the road should we decide we don't want to pay Addison. Investing in a receiver at #24 wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

[purplefaithful]

I think McCarthy can do just fine with the wr's on the roster now - and Hock too.

I would prioritize D or a new RB1 (in training this year) b4 a WR early.

[JustInTime]

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/bill...an-addison

Interesting article and gets into the justification for potentially trading Addison at some point. Do we really want to become the Bengals having your top 2 receivers taking up a large portion of cap? In the meantime, we draft somebody like Emeka Egbuka and this WR group gets very dangerous, very fast on your way to giving our young QB a plethora of weapons. A 3 WR set of Jefferson, Addison and Egbuka would be "3-deep part deaux." I think Nailor is ok as a 3rd, but always have to worry about injury and this is the final year of his contract. Moore is probably more of a 4th or 5th type receiver.

So, let’s just say in a weak year for WRs your WR1 guy slides. Honestly I have barely looked at WRs so let’s say it’s T-Mac. Assuming he pans out and if there’s a position that just screams high bust rate it’s QB then WR imo. You’ve got 3 years of top 3 WRs under contract with Addison’s 5th year option. Again you force Ds to play two deep. You control the game with the chess pieces on the board. The only downside is WR3 last year played 51% of the snaps. It’s an interesting possibility.