Placeholder For DT And DE Prospects

Excellent. After Brown and Kinlaw, who likely won't be available, there's a group of 3Ts that I can't seem to get a good feel for. Ross Blacklock, Jordan Elliott, Justin Madubuike, and Neville Gallmore. While I agree that it would be great to come away from this draft with a starting 3T who can give us some inside pressure, all of these guys seem to have significant weaknesses and I can't seem to get excited about using a 1st round pick on any of them. Change my mind. 

@"MaroonBells" said: Excellent. After Brown and Kinlaw, who likely won't be available, there's a group of 3Ts that I can't seem to get a good feel for. Ross Blacklock, Jordan Elliott, Justin Madubuike, and Neville Gallmore. While I agree that it would be great to come away from this draft with a starting 3T who can give us some inside pressure, all of these guys seem to have significant weaknesses and I can't seem to get excited about using a 1st round pick on any of them. Change my mind. 

@"FSUVike" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: Excellent. After Brown and Kinlaw, who likely won't be available, there's a group of 3Ts that I can't seem to get a good feel for. Ross Blacklock, Jordan Elliott, Justin Madubuike, and Neville Gallmore. While I agree that it would be great to come away from this draft with a starting 3T who can give us some inside pressure, all of these guys seem to have significant weaknesses and I can't seem to get excited about using a 1st round pick on any of them. Change my mind. 

That's why using 22 to move up for Brown or Kinlaw makes sense. You can move back from 25 and still have the same number of picks in the Top 105 and in the process you add a true Blue Chip Prospect.

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"FSUVike" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: Excellent. After Brown and Kinlaw, who likely won't be available, there's a group of 3Ts that I can't seem to get a good feel for. Ross Blacklock, Jordan Elliott, Justin Madubuike, and Neville Gallmore. While I agree that it would be great to come away from this draft with a starting 3T who can give us some inside pressure, all of these guys seem to have significant weaknesses and I can't seem to get excited about using a 1st round pick on any of them. Change my mind. 

That's why using 22 to move up for Brown or Kinlaw makes sense. You can move back from 25 and still have the same number of picks in the Top 105 and in the process you add a true Blue Chip Prospect.

I'm never a fan of moving up, but it might make sense this year. If we used both 1st rounders we could get in the top 10. If we kept 25 and paired our 2nd rounder with #22, we'd get to roughly the middle teens. But, yeah, that would almost require us to trade out of 25 to recoup a pick where all that value at WR and CB is...

• 

  JUSTIN MADUBUIKEDL, TEXAS A&M AGGIES

  Draft Wire's Justin Melo passes along that Texas A&M DT Justin Madubuike took video meetings with the Saints, Vikings and Bengals.Madubuike (6'3/293) earlier managed to sneak in a formal visit with the Titans, prior to face-to-face meetings being put on hold. Strong and quick, the Texas A&M lineman is still something of a work-in-progress as a pass-rusher. NFL Media's Lance Zierlein comps the potential Day 2 prospect to Dolphins DT Davon Godchaux.

  SOURCE: Justin Melo on TwitterApr 1, 2020, 12:43 PM ET

@"MaroonBells" said: Excellent. After Brown and Kinlaw, who likely won't be available, there's a group of 3Ts that I can't seem to get a good feel for. Ross Blacklock, Jordan Elliott, Justin Madubuike, and Neville Gallmore. While I agree that it would be great to come away from this draft with a starting 3T who can give us some inside pressure, all of these guys seem to have significant weaknesses and I can't seem to get excited about using a 1st round pick on any of them. Change my mind. 

I've got Blacklock closer to Kinlaw than most. Positional flexibility helps his cause.  He can burst and close. Needs some technical clean up, but Dre will work that out. 

After that, I haven't dug deep.

@"MaroonBells" said: Excellent. After Brown and Kinlaw, who likely won't be available, there's a group of 3Ts that I can't seem to get a good feel for. Ross Blacklock, Jordan Elliott, Justin Madubuike, and Neville Gallmore. While I agree that it would be great to come away from this draft with a starting 3T who can give us some inside pressure, all of these guys seem to have significant weaknesses and I can't seem to get excited about using a 1st round pick on any of them. Change my mind. 

I think Blacklock has the best combination of quickness, motor, and pass rushing ability in that next tier or two of DTs.  I think he's probably someone to consider at 25... but depending on how the draft falls, there are other players I would rather take than him.  Madubuike is a close second and might have some untapped potential with his quickness. Gallimore looks like a stiff, straight-line rusher.  I just don't see the athletic ability that makes me think he'll be a good pass rusher in the NFL.

Just some of my thoughts after checking these guys out.  I think Kinlaw will slide before Brown.  As others have said, if he starts dropping into the teens because teams are taking QBs and some of these WRs and OTs...  go get him.  A guy with his physical ability paired with Andre Patterson...  watch out.

@"Wetlander" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: Excellent. After Brown and Kinlaw, who likely won't be available, there's a group of 3Ts that I can't seem to get a good feel for. Ross Blacklock, Jordan Elliott, Justin Madubuike, and Neville Gallmore. While I agree that it would be great to come away from this draft with a starting 3T who can give us some inside pressure, all of these guys seem to have significant weaknesses and I can't seem to get excited about using a 1st round pick on any of them. Change my mind. 

Brown and Kinlaw will both be gone in the top 15 picks IMO.  After that, I don't think any of the DTs you mentioned are worth a 1st round pick.

I think Blacklock has the best combination of quickness, motor, and pass rushing ability in that next tier or two of DTs.  I think he's probably someone to consider at 25... but depending on how the draft falls, there are other players I would rather take than him.  Madubuike is a close second and might have some untapped potential with his quickness. Gallimore looks like a stiff, straight-line rusher.  I just don't see the athletic ability that makes me think he'll be a good pass rusher in the NFL.

Just some of my thoughts after checking these guys out.  I think Kinlaw will slide before Brown.  As others have said, if he starts dropping into the teens because teams are taking QBs and some of these WRs and OTs...  go get him.  A guy with his physical ability paired with Andre Patterson...  watch out.

@"MaroonBells" said:

I'm not typically in favor of moving up, but if we can somehow land Trent Williams (no, I'm not counting on it) thereby removing tackle from the list of needs, then I think I'd be in favor of moving up to get Kinlaw, provided he falls to within an area that would require only our 2nd rounder. I think you're right....that would be somewhere around 12-15.

So Williams at LT, Kinlaw at 3T, trade #25 down for another 3rd, take a outside corner in the late 1st or early 2nd, then trade Harris for yet another 3rd, giving us four 3rds for WR, IOL, S, and inside corner... Boom. :-)

@"Wetlander" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: Excellent. After Brown and Kinlaw, who likely won't be available, there's a group of 3Ts that I can't seem to get a good feel for. Ross Blacklock, Jordan Elliott, Justin Madubuike, and Neville Gallmore. While I agree that it would be great to come away from this draft with a starting 3T who can give us some inside pressure, all of these guys seem to have significant weaknesses and I can't seem to get excited about using a 1st round pick on any of them. Change my mind. 

Brown and Kinlaw will both be gone in the top 15 picks IMO.  After that, I don't think any of the DTs you mentioned are worth a 1st round pick.

I think Blacklock has the best combination of quickness, motor, and pass rushing ability in that next tier or two of DTs.  I think he's probably someone to consider at 25... but depending on how the draft falls, there are other players I would rather take than him.  Madubuike is a close second and might have some untapped potential with his quickness. Gallimore looks like a stiff, straight-line rusher.  I just don't see the athletic ability that makes me think he'll be a good pass rusher in the NFL.

Just some of my thoughts after checking these guys out.  I think Kinlaw will slide before Brown.  As others have said, if he starts dropping into the teens because teams are taking QBs and some of these WRs and OTs...  go get him.  A guy with his physical ability paired with Andre Patterson...  watch out.

I don't see the Vikings spending a upper round pick at DT.  It's not a great crop this year and to me Jaleel Johnson, Jalyn Holmes, or Armon Watts needs to step up and grab that spot. Mata'afa is still just a rush specialist from the position. 

I would love to see the Vikings kick the tires on Robert Nkemdiche. I still think there is massive potential there and would love to see if Zimm and Patterson could flick the switch for him. Low risk, potential high reward signing. Still just 25 years old

@"supafreak84" said: I don't see the Vikings spending a upper round pick at DT.  It's not a great crop this year and to me Jaleel Johnson, Jalyn Holmes, or Armon Watts needs to step up and grab that spot. Mata'afa is still just a rush specialist from the position. 

I would love to see the Vikings kick the tires on Robert Nkemdiche. I still think there is massive potential there and would love to see if Zimm and Patterson could flick the switch for him. Low risk, potential high reward signing. Still just 25 years old

@"Tyr" said:

@"supafreak84" said: I don't see the Vikings spending a upper round pick at DT.  It's not a great crop this year and to me Jaleel Johnson, Jalyn Holmes, or Armon Watts needs to step up and grab that spot. Mata'afa is still just a rush specialist from the position. 

I would love to see the Vikings kick the tires on Robert Nkemdiche. I still think there is massive potential there and would love to see if Zimm and Patterson could flick the switch for him. Low risk, potential high reward signing. Still just 25 years old

Johnson and Holmes are what they are at this point. Watts has some potential, but I'd rather upgrade DT, since they've been running with subpar talent at 3T for a while now. Floyd was a bigger loss than he gets credits for, though we did have one good year with Richardson.

@"supafreak84" said:

@"Tyr" said:

@"supafreak84" said: I don't see the Vikings spending a upper round pick at DT.  It's not a great crop this year and to me Jaleel Johnson, Jalyn Holmes, or Armon Watts needs to step up and grab that spot. Mata'afa is still just a rush specialist from the position. 

I would love to see the Vikings kick the tires on Robert Nkemdiche. I still think there is massive potential there and would love to see if Zimm and Patterson could flick the switch for him. Low risk, potential high reward signing. Still just 25 years old

Johnson and Holmes are what they are at this point. Watts has some potential, but I'd rather upgrade DT, since they've been running with subpar talent at 3T for a while now. Floyd was a bigger loss than he gets credits for, though we did have one good year with Richardson.

I just think with so many other needs we have bodies at that position we have invested in developing that we could do a "by committee" approach if needed. We also still have Stephen under contract for another two season who can play either of the interior positions. I'm not a huge fan of this group of DT's in the draft. Blacklock might be interesting and in our draft wheelhouse for the first round, but I wouldn't take him over a similarly ranked WR, CB, or offensive line prospect. To me those are all bigger needs on our roster. 

@"Tyr" said:

@"supafreak84" said:

@"Tyr" said:

@"supafreak84" said: I don't see the Vikings spending a upper round pick at DT.  It's not a great crop this year and to me Jaleel Johnson, Jalyn Holmes, or Armon Watts needs to step up and grab that spot. Mata'afa is still just a rush specialist from the position. 

I would love to see the Vikings kick the tires on Robert Nkemdiche. I still think there is massive potential there and would love to see if Zimm and Patterson could flick the switch for him. Low risk, potential high reward signing. Still just 25 years old

Johnson and Holmes are what they are at this point. Watts has some potential, but I'd rather upgrade DT, since they've been running with subpar talent at 3T for a while now. Floyd was a bigger loss than he gets credits for, though we did have one good year with Richardson.

I just think with so many other needs we have bodies at that position we have invested in developing that we could do a "by committee" approach if needed. We also still have Stephen under contract for another two season who can play either of the interior positions. I'm not a huge fan of this group of DT's in the draft. Blacklock might be interesting and in our draft wheelhouse for the first round, but I wouldn't take him over a similarly ranked WR, CB, or offensive line prospect. To me those are all bigger needs on our roster. 

I get having concerns about this DT class and it is frustrating that the Vikings let their roster to get a point where they have major needs at DT, WR, CB, and OL, but I think those needs are fairly equivalent. Yes, we do have bodies at DT, but guys like Johnson, Holmes, and Stephen were not able to step up into bigger roles. Could we cobble something together with what we have? Sure, but I think a big part of our problems on D started up front. Teams were gouging the Vikings on the ground last year, putting them in 3rd and short, which put the D in unfavorable match ups and lead to them wearing down over the course of the game. If we tighten up the run defense, then that puts the D in a better position. There's also the issue that with teams moving to more quick spread passing attacks that DE best way to pressure QBs now is up the middle. It's certainly fine if you don't think that any of the DTs we have a chance at in the 1st are the right fit for that, but that's why I want to address that position. Also, I feel that we've been trying to address DT with mid round picks for the past few years and have not had success, so like OL, you reach a point where investing higher picks makes sense.

For what it's worth, there isn't a player in this draft whose stock has risen more in my eyes than Neville Gallimore.

Early on, I thought of him as a NT. That's where OU used him most often, but that's not where he'll play in the NFL. Started watching more of his Senior Bowl stuff, which was pretty eye opening. That tape, paired with his in-season tape (WAY better motor than Derrick Brown), and an outstanding combine (4.79 forty), has me re-thinking him as a 1st round 3T possibility for us. 

He's not perfect. He plays too high and needs to improve his technique, but this is a better piece of clay, with higher upside, for Patterson to mold than either Blacklock, Elliott or Madubuike.