OL or QB?

1a-quarterback...1b-3t defensive tackle.  Depending where we pick and what's available.

there will be both available, its a matter of what quality is there... also add DT to that list.   IMO all 3 should be in play in the first round to go BPA with.

Depends on the OL and the QB. Both blue chip, I take the QB. But if we're looking at the top OL (after Sewell) vs. the 4th QB, I probably go OL.

But I agree with Jimmy. I might take the 3T ahead of the OL. If Cleveland and O'Neill are our tackles and all we need is a guard, then you can get them in the 2nd or 3rd. Also a chance O'Neill moves left, Cleveland stays at guard and maybe Udoh's ready on the right. Just more options on the OL than at DT. And with O'Neill, Cleveland and Bradbury likely headed toward big contracts, it may not make cap sense to draft OL in the first. That...and we REALLY need a 3T. 

We are going no where without a franchise QB.  Cousins is what he is, I just don't think we can go through 2 more years of consistently melting down in the clutch.  This will be the highest we have picked in some time and it is a good QB class.  Regardless of where we pick in the 1st round I think we need to go QB, but I would like us to be aggressive, just as KC was a few years ago and do what we have to do to move up and get the best QB possible.  

Right now the Vikings are in the 12th spot. They could go in a number of different directions. But these are my (way too early) top five target choices.

QB- Zach Wilson
QB- Trey Lance 
DL- Christian Barmore  
OL- Christian Darrisaw
OL- Samuel Cosmi 

I think if you ever get the chance to draft a QB you think could be top 5, you have to do it.  Top 5 QBs are just so valuable and dramatically increase your SB chances.

Don't draft QB for need, but if you get the chance to get a winner, do it.

@"Carl Knowles" said: Right now the Vikings are in the 12th spot. They could go in a number of different directions. But these are my (way too early) top five target choices.

QB- Zach Wilson
QB- Trey Lance 
DL- Christian Barmore  
OL- Christian Darrisaw
OL- Samuel Cosmi 

How do you get 12th spot?  I thought strength of schedule was the tie breaker and the teams with the weaker SOS pick first,  which would put the Vikes 15th currently.  I am reading that wrong?

@JimmyinSD  The 12th spot (or what ever it is) will obviously change by the end of the season,... but I based it off of this listing: http://www.tankathon.com/nfl

@"Carl Knowles" said: @JimmyinSD  The 12th spot (or what ever it is) will obviously change by the end of the season,... but I based it off of this listing: http://www.tankathon.com/nfl

Looks like the difference is in how the 2 sites figured SOS.  The score has the Vikings with a more difficult SOS than your site,   but it looks like they are both using the right qualifiers. 

Odenigbo has gone 4 straight games without a sack. 2.5 sacks in 10 games. After logging 7 sacks last year, is it fair to question whether he is under achieving this year? PFF has him ranked 57th out 107. 

I know the Vikings have Wonnum and Hunter, but I think it's not out of the question for the Vikings to take a look at edge rushers.

Gregory Rousseau is an opt out, but I really like Patrick Jones from Pitt who is a true 4-3 edge guy.

If he test well at combine, look for him to continue to rise up draft boards. Zimmer type of guy I think. 

I know this will not make fans happy to hear, but you really can't rule out DE IMO. IF you don't know who Patrick Jones (super fun to watch), here he is.

 https://youtu.be/2AoBfh7ia8Q

@"Carl Knowles" said: Odenigbo has gone 4 straight games without a sack. 2.5 sacks in 10 games. After logging 7 sacks last year, is it fair to question whether he is under achieving this year? PFF has him ranked 57th out 107. 

I know the Vikings have Wonnum and Hunter, but I think it's not out of the question for the Vikings to take a look at edge rushers.

Gregory Rousseau is an opt out, but I really like Patrick Jones from Pitt who is a true 4-3 edge guy.

If he test well at combine, look for him to continue to rise up draft boards. Zimmer type of guy I think. 

I know this will not make fans happy to hear, but you really can't rule out DE IMO. IF you don't know who Patrick Jones (super fun to watch), here he is.

 https://youtu.be/2AoBfh7ia8Q

The team has done well identifying and developing mid round DE talent,  IMO ot would be a colossal waste of a first rounder to use it on a DE,  if there is truly a position the Zim can get at the 7-11 it seems like DE is it.

Pitt plays Clemson Saturday. 
Pitt safety Paris Ford is a guy to watch along with DL Jaylen Twyman. Clemson (obviously Lawrence) but also OL Jackson Carman and WR Justyn Ross isworth checking out just to name a few.
I wouldn't be surprised if Spielman shows up for this game. 

Jaylen Twyman is an interesting guy for sure. Would fit in nicely between Hunter and Pierce. If he could be half of Aaron Donald, another Pitt DT, I'd be happy.

@"medaille" said: I think if you ever get the chance to draft a QB you think could be top 5, you have to do it.  Top 5 QBs are just so valuable and dramatically increase your SB chances.

Don't draft QB for need, but if you get the chance to get a winner, do it.

This is where I am at.  If we are in the 14-18 range and Zack Wilson is available after 8 or so picks, I make a move up.  At this point, I would not do that for Lance but our brass knows way more then I do :)
(just an opinion...not an expert review:)

@JimmyinSD  I understand your opinion on drafting a DE in the first round and I can agree with the thought Zimmer can develop middle round players. However, that route can take time and Zimmer absolutely needs to develop a pass rush next season. He may not be on the hot seat this year but he will be next year. 

All I'm saying is if QBs are off the board, and no mid 1st round value with OL is available... the Vikings will still be on the clock to make a pick.

If the best DL available is a DE... I think the Vikings will be taking a close at him. Like it or not, no one predicted the Vikings would trade a second round pick for Yannick Ngakoue. So, I don't think I'm off my rocker suggesting the Vikings might be looking at DE even in round one.  

Hunter might be a bigger question mark than we know about?? And the Vikings pass rush has been a joke this year with out him.

So, how do you magically fix the pass rush next season in the middle rounds of the 2021 draft if Hunter can't go next season?

IMO Zimmer gets canned next year if the Vikings can't pressure the QB.

7-9 is his record next year with the status quo formula at DE without Hunter. 

@JimmyinSD  Can you tell me with 100% certainty Hunter will be back next year??

From a scale of 1-10... where do you score the current Vikings' pass rush??

How critical is it for Zimmer to fix it quickly?? 

@"Carl Knowles" said: @JimmyinSD  I understand your opinion on drafting a DE in the first round and I can agree with the thought Zimmer can develop middle round players. However, that route can take time and Zimmer absolutely needs to develop a pass rush next season. He may not be on the hot seat this year but he will be next year. 

All I'm saying is if QBs are off the board, and no mid 1st round value with OL is available... the Vikings will still be on the clock to make a pick.

If the best DL available is a DE... I think the Vikings will be taking a close at him. Like it or not, no one predicted the Vikings would trade a second round pick for Yannick Ngakoue. So, I don't think I'm off my rocker suggesting the Vikings might be looking at DE even in round one.  

Hunter might be a bigger question mark than we know about?? And the Vikings pass rush has been a joke this year with out him.

So, how do you magically fix the pass rush next season in the middle rounds of the 2021 draft if Hunter can't go next season?

IMO Zimmer gets canned next year if the Vikings can't pressure the QB.

7-9 is his record next year with the status quo formula at DE without Hunter. 

@JimmyinSD  Can you tell me with 100% certainty Hunter will be back next year??

From a scale of 1-10... where do you score the current Vikings' pass rush??

How critical is it for Zimmer to fix it quickly?? 

I would say its more likely hes back than not,  can you say with any certainty that he won't be back?  A strong 3T pushing the middle of the pocket would make our existing DEs much more effective.  I say our current pass rush is about a 3 or 4,  but without our starting NT and all pro DE,  its not surprising.  Even if Hunter isn't there I still pass on DE in favor of QB, 3T, and OL.1 of those 3 should be there with talent and that would be the wiser choice given what we are seeing this year. 

@"JR44" said: We are going no where without a franchise QB.  Cousins is what he is, I just don't think we can go through 2 more years of consistently melting down in the clutch.  This will be the highest we have picked in some time and it is a good QB class.  Regardless of where we pick in the 1st round I think we need to go QB, but I would like us to be aggressive, just as KC was a few years ago and do what we have to do to move up and get the best QB possible.  

You are entirely correct but there are problems.

.The organization believes in a defense/run game philosophy that doesn't win championships very often so any title run is an outlier at best
.Even if Rick can maneuver his way in to being able to draft a qb, odds are he picks the wrong one, that's his track record.
.Zimmer doesn't care about offense he treats it as an afterthought.   Years of a crap oline while we burn picks on db's who amount to very little, for example.

Which just circles back to the organizational philosophy being the wrong one.  Nobody builds a defense that lasts 10 years and has a shot every year, but an offense led by a great qb can be in exactly that position.  The team needs to clean house at coach/g.m., change philosophy and find a way to build a great offense and have a real chance at a title more than once a decade.

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Carl Knowles" said: @JimmyinSD  The 12th spot (or what ever it is) will obviously change by the end of the season,... but I based it off of this listing: http://www.tankathon.com/nfl

Looks like the difference is in how the 2 sites figured SOS.  The score has the Vikings with a more difficult SOS than your site,   but it looks like they are both using the right qualifiers. 

Obviously if theres a QB worthy of the puck you take the risk. If we could add a blue chip LT prospect I think that has to be seriously considered. 

I wouldnt mind a 3t either and saftey is a concern. Smith isnt young. 

If a QB like Zach Wilson fell to us in the first round, what makes any of us think this Coaching Staff would have any clue how to utilize him and the skills he brings to the table? He runs a pass first RPO spread offense at BYU. He is the main event on that team. If Kyle Shanahan was drafting him, the Cliff Kingsbury/Mike Leach types, or whoever Bienemy's team will be when he becomes a Head Coach next year, Zach's style of play would be a perfect fit for those type of Offensive Head Coaches. Zimmer wants his QB to be an afterthought and have everything flow through the running game. Despite what a lot of us think of Cousins, he really is a good fit for the scheme this coaching staff wants to run. He isn't the problem with this team. It's the OLine and Defense. If you want to go after a player like Wilson, then you need to change out the Staff and Front Office with a total change in philosophy IMO.