What should Vikings Prioritize in 1st Round?
I'm tired of discussing Kirk Cousins trades that will never actually happen starting to look at draft prospects and know many of you are deeper in it, so would like to hear what makes sense - not just in terms of who will be available in the first, but what might be possible to address later. For example, it seems like we could have good candidates for either DL and OL in the first - but that the OL "dries up" more quickly while there are still options at DL.
Put another way - should we pass a great DT in round 1 to take an OT because he's the last OT while there are more DTs? Are there other positional areas where "strength in later rounds" should be a big consideration?
@"MaroonBells" said:James Lynch had 13.5 sacks in 2019 and 22 in his career at Baylor. Armon Watts had 7.0 sacks as a senior (6-5 300 lbs and almost 34 inch arms) he is a beast. The Vikings drafted those guy to be situational pass rushers not Shamar!@"Carl Knowles" said: Kendricks is one of the best linebackers in the NFL because Shamar knows how to keep him clean from blocks. Don't think Shamar has ever been in Zim's dog house? Zimmer wanted him back for a reason and it wasn't because of stats. Shamar is a smart and disciplined gap player, but he can't rush the passer. You bring in a guy like Pierce to be your run stopper so you can pair him with a 3T who can get inside pressure. That sure as hell ain't Shamar Stephen. He's had a good long career, one helluva run for a 7th rounder, but it's over in Minnesota.Look, I've said in the past I'm all in on Barmore with pick 14! He is a day one impact player. But understand, Zimmer likes to rotate guys and I think Shamar will be easy to resign to a cap friendly deal (he is in the final year of his contract). So yes, I think he will be back. He is not a pass rusher or a stats machine, I get it,.. he is simply a two down run defender with a style of play that helps our linebackers make plays.
I think our DL didn't play up to their ability for multiple reasons. No preseason games hurt young guys like Lynch, Wonnum and Watts. Not having Hunter and Pierce was huge and certainly didn't help.
DL will probably be pick 14 and I'm ok with that. But I also believe Lynch, Watts and Wonnum will be much improved as pass rusher next year. One of those guys could have a breakout year in 2021. I still have hope we have young untapped talent. I still have hope we have the coaching in place to bring it out.
Add one player to the DL and I think the Vikings could be very good. IMO they got away with under performing in 2020. That won't happen in 2021. I think Patterson and Zimmer will have these young guys ready to go.
Just saying... Lynch, Watts and Wonnum need to step up as much as Shamar!
@"BarrNone55" said:@"Knucklehead" said: If one of the top 4 QBs slides to #14, that's a no-brainer for me assuming that Minny thinks that player can be QBOTF. But, let me throw out a name not mentioned yet:Alijah Vera Tucker from USC
He's a plug & play OG. I've seen him mocked in the 11 - 16 range, so not a huge reach, if at all.
Along with Slater, I'm really interested in what he measures out at. Definitely a guy you plug in Day 1 at LG.
Those two in particular are very interesting to me. The more guys we have on our roster who can play LT, the better. But as you say, plug and play at LG. Love the flexibility of both players...especially considering we don't yet know what happens with Reiff and Cleveland.An AVT (or Slater) pick looks like either...
Reiff-AVT-Brad-Cleveland-O'Neill
Cleveland-AVT-Brad-FA-O'Neill
@"Carl Knowles" said:Yes, they do. But with all three there is hope for further development and improvement. Not so Shamar. He is what he is. It's possible he's back, but given the cap situation, the ability to take nearly $4M of cap space devoted to him and invest it in a difference maker at 3T, it would be a huge surprise to me if he's on the roster in '21.@"MaroonBells" said:Just saying... Lynch, Watts and Wonnum need to step up as much as Shamar!@"Carl Knowles" said: Kendricks is one of the best linebackers in the NFL because Shamar knows how to keep him clean from blocks. Don't think Shamar has ever been in Zim's dog house? Zimmer wanted him back for a reason and it wasn't because of stats. Shamar is a smart and disciplined gap player, but he can't rush the passer. You bring in a guy like Pierce to be your run stopper so you can pair him with a 3T who can get inside pressure. That sure as hell ain't Shamar Stephen. He's had a good long career, one helluva run for a 7th rounder, but it's over in Minnesota.
I don't follow college ball, so I don't know how deep the upper rounds are in OL players...but it sure seems like OG would be up there, along with DT and DE.
@"MaroonBells" said:@"BarrNone55" said:@"Knucklehead" said: If one of the top 4 QBs slides to #14, that's a no-brainer for me assuming that Minny thinks that player can be QBOTF. But, let me throw out a name not mentioned yet:Alijah Vera Tucker from USC
He's a plug & play OG. I've seen him mocked in the 11 - 16 range, so not a huge reach, if at all.
Along with Slater, I'm really interested in what he measures out at. Definitely a guy you plug in Day 1 at LG.
Those two in particular are very interesting to me. The more guys we have on our roster who can play LT, the better. But as you say, plug and play at LG. Love the flexibility of both players...especially considering we don't yet know what happens with Reiff and Cleveland.An AVT (or Slater) pick looks like either...
Reiff-AVT-Brad-Cleveland-O'Neill
Cleveland-AVT-Brad-FA-O'Neill
Logical lineups, but I feel like the team still see O'Neill, not Cleveland, at LT. They tried him there when they were threatening to cut Reiff, and I think Geoff Nichols has mentioned that attitude. Also, this team stresses certain measurables, and I think Cleveland's 33-3/8" arms makes them consider him a Guard.Dream lineup:
O'Neill-AVT-Bradbury-Cleveland-UdohYes, I would love this team to prove they can coach a day 3 pick into a good starter in Udoh.
O'Neill is the next in line to get a new deal. When O'Neill becomes the highest paid lineman on the team,... he will probably move to left tackle. That's usually the way it works.
Gotta go with improving the trenches on both sides of the ball...
Here's a specific question about the depth at a position: who are the potential LTs in this draft, after Sewell and Darrisaw? Tucker and Slater seem likely to play OG, while Leatherwood, Mayfield, and Cosmi strike me as RTs. If the Vikings want to keep Cleveland at OG and O'Neill at RT, is there another LT prospect to take over from Reiff, sooner or later, that they might pick after round 1? Liam Eichenberg, Walker Little - any fans of either?
@"Jor-El" said: Here's a specific question about the depth at a position: who are the potential LTs in this draft, after Sewell and Darrisaw? Tucker and Slater seem likely to play OG, while Leatherwood, Mayfield, and Cosmi strike me as RTs. If the Vikings want to keep Cleveland at OG and O'Neill at RT, is there another LT prospect to take over from Reiff, sooner or later, that they might pick after round 1? Liam Eichenberg, Walker Little - any fans of either?North Dakota State OT Dillon Radunz: Dillon Radunz aligns at left tackle for the Bison offense. Relatively speaking, he plays with good overall athleticism with regards to body control and balance. In the run game, he is excellent. He has a nasty disposition as a run blocker and wants to maul you. (the draft network) At pick 79 does he represent an upgrade over O'Neill or Cleveland at LT? NO
Radunz doesn't have stand-out “elite” athletic traits or measurables, and that could cause him to slip below some teams’ radar.
If the Vikings can convert Cleveland to guard,... why not go to that well one more time with Radunz?
I think at pick 79 the Vikings can find a starting guard. Radunz, Liam Eichenberg and Alaric Jackson (good run blocking OT) who could be the next Ezra Cleveland to kick inside.
I think Zimmer will take best defensive player available with pick 14.
I also think this tackle class is heavy with guys who could kick inside at the next level... and the Vikings should be able find a starting guard at pick 79.
Oneill, Radunz, Bradberry, Cleveland, Udoh.
Rieff could come back? Rashod Hill could be resigned cheap to compete with Udoh.
My money is on Zim going defense in the first round!
@"Jor-El" said:@"MaroonBells" said:@"BarrNone55" said:@"Knucklehead" said: If one of the top 4 QBs slides to #14, that's a no-brainer for me assuming that Minny thinks that player can be QBOTF. But, let me throw out a name not mentioned yet:Alijah Vera Tucker from USC
He's a plug & play OG. I've seen him mocked in the 11 - 16 range, so not a huge reach, if at all.
Along with Slater, I'm really interested in what he measures out at. Definitely a guy you plug in Day 1 at LG.
Those two in particular are very interesting to me. The more guys we have on our roster who can play LT, the better. But as you say, plug and play at LG. Love the flexibility of both players...especially considering we don't yet know what happens with Reiff and Cleveland.An AVT (or Slater) pick looks like either...
Reiff-AVT-Brad-Cleveland-O'Neill
Cleveland-AVT-Brad-FA-O'Neill
Logical lineups, but I feel like the team still see O'Neill, not Cleveland, at LT. They tried him there when they were threatening to cut Reiff, and I think Geoff Nichols has mentioned that attitude. Also, this team stresses certain measurables, and I think Cleveland's 33-3/8" arms makes them consider him a Guard.Dream lineup:
O'Neill-AVT-Bradbury-Cleveland-UdohYes, I would love this team to prove they can coach a day 3 pick into a good starter in Udoh.
I wish we had some idea of where Udoh was in his development. Would've been nice to seem him play week 17. Because you're right, with one addition, that line has enormous potential. And we do it without spending a dime . In fact, saving $12M by moving Reiff.But this move would seem to lock Cleveland into the guard position and I'm just not sure that's his best position.
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