Replacing Marcus Sherels was our biggest need???

Allegations.... Who cares.  Really.   One never led to charges even.  Freshman year.  He paid his penalty on the other.  Deserves a chance.   

So you'd rather have their 4 or 5th choice offensive lineman and start them day one instead?  Wynn, Ragnow, Price all long gone before the Vikings selected.
Hughes had 4 INTs and 12 passes defensed last season so lets not pretend he's just a special teams player.  And I can't believe anyone that's been a fan of this team for more than 4 years, would not understand the value of secondary talent based on the past history of pass defense failures. 

@"Jor-El" said: Undersized CB with average speed, only one year of college experience, not one but TWO allegations of assault, but a pretty good kick returner. Doesn't that sound like a decent 4th round (or later) pick??

BTW, whatever happened to "no more short cornerbacks"?? I'm laughing at the people saying Hughes is a "day one starter at nickel CB". He played outside corner exclusively in college! But he is going to be good covering in the slot, JUST BECAUSE HE'S SHORT?? Hey Zimmer, how did that work out with Josh Robinson? How about Mac Alexander?

Well, I guess as long as Zimmer is here, we will draft CBs the way the Lions used to draft WRs.

This was my first thought...  The Bangcartoon with the lions front office.., so funny.  Owner - “We need to protect the QB”.  GM (cannot remember his name. Millen was it?) “I’ll draft him a WR right away!”.   

@"Purplewhizz" said: So you'd rather have their 4 or 5th choice offensive lineman and start them day one instead?  Wynn, Ragnow, Price all long gone before the Vikings selected. Hughes had 4 INTs and 12 passes defensed last season so lets not pretend he's just a special teams player.  And I can't believe anyone that's been a fan of this team for more than 4 years, would not understand the value of secondary talent based on the past history of pass defense failures. 

Very good points. Pretty much sums it up. 

The Vikings picked 30th....lots of good players got snapped up that they would have loved to get, including Ragnow. But that's what happens when you draft so late in the round. 

Some fans are too blinded by the hear and now...  every year we talk about why it isn't smart to draft for need because you end up passing on some good football players.  Sure, we have a hole at RG (or RT depending on where you think Remmers should play), but we don't need to force the pick in the first round just to say we filled a need. 
As others have pointed out, once Wynn, Ragnow, and Price came off the board, there were still a glut of good OG prospects available.  Mike Hughes wouldn't be there at 62 and the talent at CB will really drop off after the mid-2nd round once a couple more guys get drafted.  You can bet a good OL will be there around our pick.
Also, it's a bit short-sighted to call this pick "replacing Marcus Sherels"...  Hughes has the potential to be a starting CB AND provide electric return ability.  As much as I like Sherels, he's basically on the team for his special teams prowess.  I would have more confidence in Hughes stepping in for an injured starter than Marcus.  Big difference between the two players.

@"Purplewhizz" said: So you'd rather have their 4 or 5th choice offensive lineman and start them day one instead?  Wynn, Ragnow, Price all long gone before the Vikings selected. Hughes had 4 INTs and 12 passes defensed last season so lets not pretend he's just a special teams player.  And I can't believe anyone that's been a fan of this team for more than 4 years, would not understand the value of secondary talent based on the past history of pass defense failures. 

And just what causes most pass defense failures?  Giving the QB time to pick a D apart.  Giving your QB time to go thru his reads and make decisions is far more important than drafting a short, inexperienced CB for our “I can fix it” coach to play with for 3 years.  Minnesota has a history(of late) of drafting project DBs.  This is another one.  Why use your first round pick for a project?  First rounders are suppose to be ready to play.  Which means the Vikings used their first rounder on a return guy.... in a league that is “phasing out” returns... kinda.   And if this guy gets dinged while returning... how is that improving the secondary?  Sherels got dinged every year, or at least it seemed like it, so there is definitely a chance it can happen.  

Hopefully this guy works out quicker and better than either Waynes or Alexander... but I’m not holding my breath.    

What are the odds that this pick signifies that the team might be prepared to move on in case Wayne's leaves instead of paying him $12 million a year

Or perhaps Newman isn't coming back

Sure, he may be better than Sherels, and it will be nice to have a better #4 CB. But was that a bigger need than defensive line depth (DT Maurice Hurst, DE Harold Landry), bolstering the offensive line (C James Daniels, G Will Hernandez, OT Connor Williams), or even a DB who can be a full-time replacement for our weakest and oldest DB (S Justin Reid)? We drafted Hughes because we "only" have 3 decent CBs, but we only have 1 decent TE, so why not Dallas Goedert?
Our top pick went to the unit that might be the strongest on the team. I'm not even convinced Hughes was the best value at CB. We left Josh Jackson, Carlton Davis, and Isaiah Oliver on the board - 3 CBs with more experience and better size.
Two years ago, we all had some surprise that the Vikings drafted another CB with 2 young ones on the roster. But a 3rd young guy seemed reasonable, and we trusted that Zimmer knows how to identify CBs. Now they pick a guy who has weaker measurables than Alexander - and drafted him earlier. Just like Alexander, it's a projection that he can transition to covering in the slot.
The only way Hughes makes sense is if the team has decided Alexander is a bust. Or we just accept that Zimmer's desire to collect CBs is his unavoidable fetish.

I honestly think this pick is about Mac not developing like they want so they want someone to push him up or out.

Jackson is overrated. Measurables weren't  there in key places like the cone drill, IIRC. Anyway, I watch a lot of Big 10 games and when he wasn't making splash plays he wasn't doing squat.

As has been mentioned, Oliver looks more like a boundary guy. Davis is in the next lower tier.

As for Jones, Hurst, etc., teams weren't exactly burning up the phone lines to grab these kids. They all made it to the second round for a reason. Not a single one of them is without question marks.

It's the end of the 1st Round. Not exactly the sweet spot for can't miss guys. The perennial playoff teams make a living out of taking the best guy on their board regardless of need. Minnesota just did the same thing. We just may have to get used to this.

Pretty short sighted to say all he will do is replace Sherels.  Sherels was never going to be a shutdown CB.  He could play the position and was good mentally, but severely lacking in the physical attributes. 

Hughes won't start at CB this year, but has potential next year or year 3.  In the meantime, he can make immediate impact at the return game. 

To me, this selection shows doubt. Doubt we can knock Aaron Rodgers out of the game every time we see him...

@"FSUVike" said: I honestly think this pick is about Mac not developing like they want so they want someone to push him up or out.

Jackson is overrated. Measurables weren't  there in key places like the cone drill, IIRC. Anyway, I watch a lot of Big 10 games and when he wasn't making splash plays he wasn't doing squat.

As has been mentioned, Oliver looks more like a boundary guy. Davis is in the next lower tier.

As for Jones, Hurst, etc., teams weren't exactly burning up the phone lines to grab these kids. They all made it to the second round for a reason. Not a single one of them is without question marks.

It's the end of the 1st Round. Not exactly the sweet spot for can't miss guys. The perennial playoff teams make a living out of taking the best guy on their board regardless of need. Minnesota just did the same thing. We just may have to get used to this.

This is the best we as fans can hope for.

This hedging against a 40 year old losing more than just one step come next fall.  

So much piss-fitting over a single pick among a crop of untested POTENTIAL NFL players...wow.

This is why I'll never be a draft-urbator: people get more wrung out over pick disagreement than they do over actual game losses.

Wake me when camp starts, and we actually see the team making the actual decisions on the 2018 roster.

The guys I thought were going to be late round gems are going off the board now.  Maybe this draft was not as deep as we thought.

@"Zanary" said: So much piss-fitting over a single pick among a crop of untested POTENTIAL NFL players...wow.

This is why I'll never be a draft-urbator: people get more wrung out over pick disagreement than they do over actual game losses.

Wake me when camp starts, and we actually see the team making the actual decisions on the 2018 roster.

You know Zanary, some of us enjoy the off season and watching the team being built as much or more thsn we enjoy the games.  Insulting people who discuss it says more about you than it does about them.  No one expects you to enjoy it, you can simply move on.

@"Jor-El" said: Sure, he may be better than Sherels, and it will be nice to have a better #4 CB. But was that a bigger need than defensive line depth (DT Maurice Hurst, DE Harold Landry), bolstering the offensive line (C James Daniels, G Will Hernandez, OT Connor Williams), or even a DB who can be a full-time replacement for our weakest and oldest DB (S Justin Reid)? We drafted Hughes because we "only" have 3 decent CBs, but we only have 1 decent TE, so why not Dallas Goedert? Our top pick went to the unit that might be the strongest on the team. I'm not even convinced Hughes was the best value at CB. We left Josh Jackson, Carlton Davis, and Isaiah Oliver on the board - 3 CBs with more experience and better size. Two years ago, we all had some surprise that the Vikings drafted another CB with 2 young ones on the roster. But a 3rd young guy seemed reasonable, and we trusted that Zimmer knows how to identify CBs. Now they pick a guy who has weaker measurables than Alexander - and drafted him earlier. Just like Alexander, it's a projection that he can transition to covering in the slot. The only way Hughes makes sense is if the team has decided Alexander is a bust. Or we just accept that Zimmer's desire to collect CBs is his unavoidable fetish.

Something like this should have been your OP. This is a much more legit critique.

My favorite player at 30 by far was Hurst. But the Vikings and lots of teams - maybe all teams- see a major medical issue. Hard to fault them for passing on him this early. I like Landry, too, but not nearly as much. And we do have a few guys behind Griff and Hunter. Maybe the coaches like them. And Landry is not for everyone. 

IMO our biggest need was at CB, not OL. Hurst was not for need but for talent. At 30, I liked Jacksn ahead of Hughes. But I am not dead certain I am right about that. GB took Jackson so now i really hope I was wrong. 

Taking Hughes does not say anything about Waynes and probably not about Mac either. It does say something about the CBs behind them. It says they can't play.

As for drafting CB before TE or S, it was a much bigger need at a more important position.

@"Zanary" said: So much piss-fitting over a single pick among a crop of untested POTENTIAL NFL players...wow.

This is why I'll never be a draft-urbator: people get more wrung out over pick disagreement than they do over actual game losses.

Wake me when camp starts, and we actually see the team making the actual decisions on the 2018 roster.

I liked it better when you didn’t know who was drafted until the news that evening of the draft. No Mel Kiper, or ESPN/NFL Network sitting talking bullshit all day long, or for three days.

Now, everyone is an expert, everyone has their two cents. Fans think they are a GM because they put together a team on Madden and won the Super Bowl. 

Discussion is fine, but getting their panties in a wad over who got drafted is just stupid.

@"Riphawkins" said:

@"Zanary" said: So much piss-fitting over a single pick among a crop of untested POTENTIAL NFL players...wow.

This is why I'll never be a draft-urbator: people get more wrung out over pick disagreement than they do over actual game losses.

Wake me when camp starts, and we actually see the team making the actual decisions on the 2018 roster.

I liked it better when you didn’t know who was drafted until the news that evening of the draft. No Mel Kiper, or ESPN/NFL Network sitting talking bullshit all day long, or for three days.

Now, everyone is an expert, everyone has their two cents. Fans think they are a GM because they put together a team on Madden and won the Super Bowl. 

Discussion is fine, but getting their panties in a wad over who got drafted is just stupid.

The amount of coverage & data analysis now is amazing, but at the end of the day, while everyones phones are recharging, no one really knows shit

I saw a clip today of Rick S being handed the phone to our new kicker. After doing his best Kevin Costner imitation, he in turn handed it over to the ST coach and then I tapped out wondering what Bud G makes of all this

Skol Bros !