VIKINGS COLUMN  

            Two weeks into the season and the Vikings are off to a great start.  Although the Vikings have started with a somewhat weak schedule, the Vikings are doing what good teams do to bad teams – beat them.  Both wins were by double digit deficits where the Vikings pulled away late in the game. 

            So far the offense has looked proficient and effective.  Favre has been limited in his throws, but at this time of the year that is what is probably best for him.  Even though his yardage is down, he has no interceptions and is completing a high percentage of his passes, both things that will greatly improve the Vikings offense from years past.  Peterson has been as advertised; the best running back in football.  The offensive line has been solid and the wide receivers have been productive. Childress has heard some complaints about not throwing the ball down the field, but these complaints should not bother him.  The Vikings offense is built to control the game, run the ball, and be efficient in the passing game.  This is not a vertical passing team.  Berrian will get his shots, but so far they have not had to force the ball down field and forcing deep passes could lead to unwanted turnovers. 

            The defense has also looked solid.  Although their rankings have not lived up to the preseason expectations, they are a very strong unit and it is still early in the season.  The defense will limit every offense they face, except for maybe New Orleans, I do not know if there is a defense that can stop them right now.   

This week’s game against San Francisco will be a very good test.  It is the home opener so emotions will be high. Besides the 49ers being 2-0 like the Vikings, they play solid defense and have an efficient offense.  The 49ers appear to be a less talented version of the Vikings.  The Vikings should win this game; as long as they play to the level they can and do not turn the ball over.  Honestly, if the Vikings do not turn the ball over they should be able to compete with and beat most teams in the league.  

Personnel wise, the Vikings roster is set and barring a late trade of one of the backup quarterbacks the roster spots will probably not change very much week to week.  It was tough to see Bobby Wade go, especially after he agreed to restructure his contract, but with the quick development of Harvin and play of Reynaud, Wade could be released.  I just hope the Vikings did not destroy any good karma by the way they handled the situation. 

So far the rookies look great.  Loadholt is quietly playing excellent at right tackle. Harvin has scored in both of the first games and is showing flashes of his playmaking ability.  Also, last years top pick, Tyrell Johnson is showing excellent range at safety.  Simply by looking at the current roster and talent level of this team, it appears that the Vikings have made some great draft picks, for example, Peterson, McKinnie, Greenway, Kevin Williams, Henderson, and Griffin, just to name a few.

Looking forward to the 2010 draft, it looks like the Vikings should target one position in the first round – quarterback.  With a very deep quarterback class (McCoy, Bradford, Tebow, Robinson, and Snead).  They should have a solid chance of getting their future starter. 

            Sadly, when the Vikings started training camp the main issue for discussion was the most recent re-retirement of Brett Favre. The talk should have been, however, about how this Vikings squad is one of the most talented teams the Vikings have fielded in probably a decade. Regardless, at least we think, there is finally resolution to the Favre situation. Hopefully, this closes the book. That said, even if Favre hints of returning, there is no way, even if Jackson’s injury lingers into the season; the Vikings should even consider bringing Favre to Minnesota.  Not because of the way he left the Vikings at the alter, but because of the morale and chemistry of the team. Favre has made his decision; the team should not allow any sequels to this story. 

            In the wake of Favre not coming to play for the Vikings, there was one story that unfortunately got overshadowed. The retirement that Vikings’ fans should care about is that of Kenechi Udeze. Unfortunately, Udeze will not be able to make a complete comeback in his NFL career from cancer.  Udeze courageously fought and beat cancer, but Udeze is retiring because a side effect of chemotherapy.  Apparently, in some cases chemotherapy causes patients to develop excessive pain in their feet.  In the demanding world of the NFL, this pain could not be ignored. Udeze’s fight with cancer and courage to try and return to the field are exemplary. A person is not a hero because they put on an NFL helmet, they are a hero because what is under their helmet. Udeze’s courage and heart are attributes that everyone in society should respect and commend.  

            One last note on the Favre retirement, I was driving home form work and listening to a local sports talk radio show after Favre’s announcement; and the host stated well I guess this destroys the Vikings 2009 season.  I thought to myself that is a dumb comment.  Obviously, and maybe the national media has this perception, but if you know the talent level of the Vikings it is clear they do not need Favre.  Yes, they wanted Favre, but they do not need him. I think that Sage Rosenfels would have been and now will be a more consistent starter this year then had Favre been a Viking.  I think Favre would have had some great highlights, but the long season would have probably worn him down. 

            Now, why do I say the Vikings do not need Favre, oh let me count the reasons: 1) they have a top 5 defense (no one is looking at Baltimore and saying their season goals will be limited); 2) they have the best defensive line in football; 3) they have one of the best young line backing cores in football; 4) they have a very talented secondary; 5) they have the best running back and maybe tandem running back duo in football; 6) they have a top 10 offensive line; and, 7) they have a uniquely talented wide receiving core. 

            That said you put Sage into that talented mix and I guarantee the Vikings passing offense will be in the top half of the league.  There is too much talent with Berrian, Harvin, Rice and the TEs.  The future is bright for this team and I am predicting that the Vikings will play in the NFC championship game.

            It is good to see that the Vikings and Antoine Winfield were able to get a contract extension in place.  Winfield is one of the best all around cornerbacks in the league and he will provide leadership to the young talented players around him.        

            My initial thoughts on Jackson’s injury are that it is unfortunate, but not devastating.  He has faced a lot of adversity over his young career and it is sad to see him get injured.  That said, I do not think he was going to be the Vikings’ starting quarterback this year, barring Rosenfels being injured.  Sage was brought in to run the offense, make it more consistent (not turn the ball over) and to get the wide receivers involved in the offense. Jackson has a lot of talent, but when he started last year the passing numbers and turnovers were bad. There is too much talent, especially with Harvin now, in the WRs for them to be decoys or not involved in the offense.  Sage was brought in to get the ball to the playmakers on the outside.  I think this was always Rosenfels job to lose. Jackson will be his backup and maybe featured in certain packages that can highlight his athleticism (the wildcat with Harvin and Peterson), but his injury is not a major problem in the development of the offense.

            If you watch preseason football, like I do, do not be surprised over the next month to see a very vanilla offense from the Vikings.  But come opening day, this offense should be very exciting to watch. If you are into fantasy football and you can draft a utility player, I strongly advise you to look at Harvin.  I think you will be very happy with his production this year.

Approximately six weeks after the Favre to Minnesota rumors started, it looks like it is only a matter of time before Favre is officially introduced as the Vikings starting quarterback. The surgery and rehab are unavoidable signs that everything, probably including a contract, have been agreed to verbally, but not yet finalized.  Favre is clearly not the long term solution at quarterback, but this is a sign that the Vikings think they can win a super bowl this year with the right leader.  He will probably only play one year, but we hope it will be a year to remember.

With the start of training camp less then three weeks away there is not a lot of news in Viking world.  Most players and coaches take this time off before beginning the long haul.  This gives us a chance to look back at the Vikings’ undrafted free agents.  With the ever increasing number of talented players to pick from on draft day and the set slots of draft picks, the undrafted free agent signings are becoming more and more important in building a team.  Last year the Vikings put together a solid undrafted class, with players like Husain Abdullah (S), Martail Burnett (DE), Erin Henderson (LB), Drew Radovich (T), Darius Reynaud (WR), Marcus Walker (CB), and Albert Young (RB).  All these players played sparingly, but still contributed to team depth and will have unique opportunities to contribute this year.  Like last year, this year’s group is very strong and will probably have several solid contributors. This year the Vikings picked up:

1.                  Ian Johnson – RB – Boise State

2.                  Colt Anderson – S – Montana  

3.                  Khalil Bell – RB – UCLA

4.                  Jon Cooper – C – Oklahoma

5.                  Robert Francois – LB – Boston College

6.                  Sean Glennon – QB – Virginia Tech                  Already Released

7.                  De’von Hall – S – Utah State

8.                  Antoine Holms – DT – N.C. State

9.                  Tremaine Johnson – DT – LSU

10.              Andy Kemp – G – Wisconsin

11.              Bobby Lepori – T – Fresno State                     Already Released

12.              Nick Moore – WR – Toledo

13.              Vinny Perretta – WR – Boise State

14.              Nick Walker – TE – Alabama                          Already Released

The Vikings also added Nick Urban a guard from Winona State and Juan Garcia a center from Washington on May 5.  On May 18, the Vikings signed Nehemiah Broughton a veteran fullback. The Vikings undrafted free agents all coincide, naturally, with areas the Vikings need additional depth in.  Out of these players, probably only 4 or 5 will stay around and only one or two will make the 53 man roster. 

The two RBs, Ian Johnson and Khalil Bell, were both solid college running backs, but may not make the Vikings roster. Johnson has the better notoriety, third down back skills and probably has a slight advantage over Bell going into camp. Johnson and Bell; however will have to compete with Albert Young to fill the third down running back slot left open by Hicks’ departure. Even if one of these players makes the final roster, I would not expect much from them this year because the touches on offense out of the RB position will be dominated by Peterson and Taylor.  These players will be auditioning to take over the number two running back spot behind Peterson if Taylor does not comeback after next year. 

The next group of players will most likely compete for a special team’s position.  This will include: Colt Anderson, Robert Francois, De’von Hall, Nick Moore, and Vinny Perretta.  The best special team’s player out of this group will probably have a good chance of making the team.  If Perretta or Moore makes it then they will add depth to the receiving core.  If Anderson, Francois, or Hall makes it then they could add more depth to a young safety or linebacker core.  Most likely, no player will contribute at their college position due to the depth in front of them, but they will have a good shot at making the team if they follow in the footsteps of Heath Farwell.

The remaining undrafted free agents will add depth to the offensive and defensive lines.  It will be hard to make the team on the defensive side of the ball.  Over the last two years a lot of young players have been groomed and played well for the Vikings, so it is very difficult for me to see an undrafted player pushing a veteran out of the way.  The DTs are set with the Williams brothers, Kennedy, Evans, and Guion.  At DE you have Allen, Edwards, Grigsby, and Robison. Then you also have Udeze making a comeback, who I wish the best of luck to, and Burnett.  There appears to already be a lot of depth and talent here. 

On the offensive line side, however, I think there is an active roster spot available.  The starters are pretty much set, but with new and young starters in Loadholt, Herrera and Sullivan there is always a need to get insurance.  Cook and Radovich will most likely be good insurance policies for the tackle and center positions, but I think a solid guard could be extremely valuable to the Vikings and may push Herrera in years to come for his starting position. Cooper and Garcia may have a chance to push Cook for the backup center position, but I think Cook’s experience and size will win out.  The guard position, however, is probably where a young player could find a spot.  The battle to watch will be between Kemp and Urban.  The early front runner is probably Kemp.  Given how physical he was in college and the fact that he played at a big time run oriented college program in the cold weather, I think Kemp will prevail in this battle.  Not to say Urban will not make it, he might.  I just always like Wisconsin and big ten lineman because late in the year the Vikings are going to have to play in the cold and run the ball.

My predictions out of this group is that Ian Johnson, De’von Hall, and Andy Kemp have a decent chance of making the Vikings 53 man roster, but good luck to everyone. Hopefully, the next three weeks will go by fast and finally football, at least preseason football, will be back.        

            The talk in Vikings land should be about the their solid 2009 draft and good undrafted free agent class, but unfortunately all we hear about is the Brett Favre comeback.  I don’t want to go into a lot of detail, but I think the Vikings need to make a quick decision on this situation.  It appears the Vikings want to sign him, but please either say he is a Viking or he is not.  There is no doubt that Favre would provide more experience and an upgrade to the quarterback position from last year, but we should try to avoid a long drawn out situation because it will distract from the good team already in place.  Please note, I did not say he would provide an upgrade to the current quarterback roster, potentially only to the quarterback play from last year. 

            I know Favre has more experience then Sage, but I think Sage is our guy for the next couple years.  (I am assuming that Sage will beat Jackson out for the starting quarterback spot, I think that is a safe assumption).  One of the reasons I think Sage should be the focus is because he has had time to develop and grow with the young receiving core this offseason and through OTAs.  If Favre were signed, it would be sometime before he is able to acclimate with the wide receivers.  Sage also would probably be more consistent through the entire 2009 season then Favre.  Let’s remember Favre’s Jet carrier started off strong, but faded at the end.  I anticipate the same for this next year, if he were to return.  He would come out like a barn burner in the first 4 to 6 games, but his play would decrease as age and injuries set in over the season.  Sage would probably not have the peaks that Favre might have, but he also might not have the valleys either.  Regardless, if the Vikings feel they have to have Favre, the only thing the fans ask is to make the decision as soon as possible so the team, especially the young receivers, can acclimate to Favre.   

            Besides Favre, I think there should be another quarterback signing that the Vikings should be talking about – Michael Vick.  Of course, any signing of Vick depends on the NFL letting him play, but my opinion is that the man has paid his debt to society and should be allowed to pursue any opportunity he is talented enough to accomplish.  This is the same ability every man and woman is provided when they have served their debt to society, regardless of how you feel about the crime.  That said, the Vikings should consider Vick for several reasons.  First, his speed and elusiveness would be magnified on the Vikings home turf.  (We all remember the home game years ago were Vick ran past the Vikings defense like they were standing still.) Could you imagine a wild cat formation were you have to stop Vick, Peterson, or Harvin, are you kidding me!  Second, Minnesota is a small market team with limited national media exposure.  He would not face the same kind of treatment for example if he were to go to New York or Dallas.  This might ease his transition to the game, as he is sure to face belligerent protesters.  Third, the Vikings have a veteran locker room that, in my opinion, would accept and work well with Vick.  Lastly, the Vikings do not need a full time quarterback, so Vick would not be asked to run the whole show.  He would have set packages and plays he would run and allow Sage to run the offense the majority of the time.  Vick would not have to learn everything at once and take over a team, but could be worked in slowly.  Even if Vick only ran 3 plays a quarter, those would be 3 existing plays.  Plus, his runs would take additional wear and tear off of Peterson (I know Peterson is young, but any fewer carries that he can take over the early years will just provide him more longevity in the backfield.)  I think Vick signing with Minnesota should be strongly considered if he is allowed an opportunity to play this year.

Now let’s talk about the draft.  Overall, the Vikings had a great draft.  I was very pleased with the first two picks.  The pick of Asher Allen in the third round was interesting because D.J. Moore was still on the board, but Allen fills an area of need and has a lot of talent.  The pick of Brinkley was also interesting because Duke Robinson was on the board, but there is no doubt Brinkley is a playmaker.  Below is the Vikings draft in detail:

Round One, Pick 22

Percy Harvin WR Florida, 5’11” 195 – This was a great pick for the Vikings, I know that people will question his off field issues, but the Vikings needed a playmaker and they got one of the best in college football.  We will ultimately see if this is a good pick several years down the road, but this is a player I lobbied for and I am very excited to see him in a Vikings uniform.  The only hesitation that I had at this pick was that Michael Oher was still on the board, he would have been a great pick too, but Harvin’s abilities could not be passed on.

Round Two, Pick 54

Phil Loadholt OT Oklahoma, 6’8” 337 – Another great pick.  The Vikings drafted their road grater right tackle for the next decade.  He should be a great bookend for McKinnie and provide stability to the right side of the offensive line.  As he is learning this year, expect to see Kleinsasser lined up next to him to give him some additional protection. 

Round Three, Pick 86

Asher Allen CB Georgia, 5’9” 194 – Allen was a very productive player in college.  He is an aggressive corner that also has kick returning ability.  This is a solid pick, as Allen played against top notch talent in the SEC and played well.  He seems to be a good fit for the two-deep scheme.  He will get some good experience this year on special teams and maybe as a nickel back.  My only hesitation here is that D.J. Moore, a projected late first round pick, was still on the board.  Moore eventually went to the Bears in the fourth round, but it appears the Vikings had Allen rated well above Moore.

Round Five, Pick 150

Jasper Brinkley ILB South Carolina, 6’2” 262 – The Vikings must have really loved Brinkley because they moved up to get him in the fifth round.  At first, I thought this was an odd pick.  Duke Robinson had fallen for some reason and was still available at this pick.  Honestly, when I saw the Vikings move up I thought it was to get Robinson.  After thinking about the Brinkley pick, it looks like a solid choice.  Brinkley was a stud before being injured for the 2007 season, he bounced back in 2008 and appears to have a good nose for the football.  When you consider that the Vikings have not re-signed Napoleon and E.J. Henderson is returning from a season ending injury, this pick looks like a good fit.  He will add depth to a young line backing core and could be a solid starting in years to come.

Round Seven, Pick 231

Jamarca Sanford FS Mississippi, 5’10” 207 – A solid college safety, that is characterized as a hard hitter.  Sanford will probably be a solid contributor on special teams and will add depth to a young safety core.  This pick seemed to address the Vikings efforts to improve their special teams.

            For NFL fans it is Christmas in April.  We get to gather around the television and see who our team will draft to secure our team’s future success with, sometimes we get game breakers (Adrian Peterson, Chad Greenway, Kevin Williams) and sometimes we get names that will go down in Vikings infamy as a bust (Erasmus James, Troy Williamson, Dimitrius Underwood). Hopefully, the Vikings will continue to build on their success since 2006 and add another dominating player.    

            This year the Vikings have six picks. 

Round 1:          Pick 22

Round 2:          Pick 22 (54)

Round 3:          Pick 22 (86)

Round 5:          Pick 22 (158)

Round 7:          Pick 12 (221)

Round 7:          Pick 22 (231)  

            With the six picks I expect the Vikings to draft several positions including: wide receiver; offensive tackle; offensive guard; defensive end; and, cornerback.  The Vikings could also potentially draft a running back, tight end, defensive tackle, or linebacker.  These positions have less need, but could add depth.  The Vikings will most likely not consider a quarterback in the draft because any player, even Freeman, would simply take up a roster spot and not be better then Booty who already has a year in the system.

            In the first round, the Vikings will probably consider players in three positions: offensive tackle; cornerback; and, wide receiver.  The following five players may be available:

1.                  Percy Harvin from Florida (WR)

2.                  Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest (CB)

3.                  Michael Oher from Ole Miss (OT)

4.                  Vontae Davis from Illinois (CB)

5.                  Eben Britton from Arizona (OT)

If these players are available then the Vikings draft order for these five, in my opinion, should be Oher – Harvin - Britton - Smith - Davis.  Most likely Oher will be long gone.  I realistically anticipate the Vikings to be looking at Harvin - Smith - Davis - Britton (barring some major drop – which if such a drop happens the Vikings are in the position to pick any player, especially if a top end player drops out of the top 10: hint Jeremy Maclin or Andre Smith).  If these four players are there then the pick should be Harvin, we can draft a solid corner or tackle in the second round, but the talent and ability of Harvin to affect both special teams and the offense can not be matched by any other player except Jeremy Maclin.  I feel Harvin’s potential to help the west coast offense and provide a pressure relief valve to Adrian Peterson is an enormous benefit and he should be the pick.  If Harvin is not available then to pick between Britton or Alphonso Smith would be a tough call, but I would take Britton. 

            The second round is subject to change based on who was drafted in round one.  If Harvin is the pick then the second round pick will most likely be the best offensive lineman, corner, or defensive end.  A few names that might be seen in the second round are:

1.                  Duke Robinson from Oklahoma (OG)

2.                  Phil Loadholt from Oklahoma (OT)

3.                  Paul Kruger from Utah (DE)

4.                  Hakeem Nicks from North Carolina (WR)

5.                  Victor Harris from Virginia Tech (CB)

Realistically, if Loadholt or Robinson is available then they are the pick.  I would even consider trading up in the second round to draft Loadholt.  He will be a rock at right tackle for years to come.  I also am very high on Robinson, but he will most likely be long gone.  If by some chance there is no offensive lineman with draft value in this range I would look at a player like Kruger.  He is a high energy player that could take some pressure off the defensive end rotation and fill in if injuries occur.  Nicks would be a great pick, if Harvin is not taken in the first round.  Harris would also be a solid pick as he was a standout in College. 

In the third round the Vikings most likely will look to add a player at wide receiver, corner, or offensive tackle, for whichever position was not covered in the first two rounds.  The Vikings could also look to add a defensive tackle, offensive guard, running back, tight end, or defensive end. 

Some players that the Vikings could consider in the third round are:

1.                  Javon Ringer from Michigan State (RB)

2.                  Shonn Greene from Iowa (RB)

3.                  Andre Brown from North Carolina State (RB)

4.                  Juaquin Iglesias from Oklahoma (WR)

5.                  James Casey from Rice (TE)

6.                  Troy Kropog from Tulane (OT)

7.                  Andy Levitre of Oregon State (OG)

8.                  Herman Johnson from L.S.U. (OG)

9.                  Fili Moala from U.S.C. (DT)

10.              Captain Munnerlyn from South Carolina (CB)

In the fifth round the Vikings could look at a host of players, including:

1.                  Quinn Johnson from L.S.U. (FB)

2.                  Mike Thomas from Arizona (WR)

3.                  Cedric Dockery from Texas (OG)

4.                  Matt Shaughnessy from Wisconsin (DE)

5.                  Jonathan Casillas from Wisconsin (LB)

6.                  Brice McCain from Utah (CB)

In the seventh round the Vikings could look for players like:

1.                  Patrick Turner from U.S.C. (WR)

2.                  Sammie Stroughter from Oregon State (WR)

3.                  Alex Boone from Ohio State (OT)

4.                  Andrew Gardner from Georgia Tech (OT)

5.                  Victor Butler from Oregon State (DE)

6.                  Roy Miller from Texas (DT)

7.                  Anthony Heygood from Purdue (LB)

Of course with the top ten picks of the draft being uncertain who knows who will be available in any round, but these players should start coming off the board in these rounds.

My ideal draft for the Vikings would be:

First Round:                  Percy Harvin

Second Round:             Phil Loadholt

Third Round:                Captain Munnerlyn

Fifth Round:                  Cedric Dockery

Seventh Round (1):       Sammie Stroughter

Seventh Round (2):       Victor Butler

This would provide us a starting right tackle, a dynamic playmaker, and needed depth on the offensive line, at defensive end, and corner.  I would have liked the Vikings to pick up a defensive tackle, but with only six picks we are somewhat limited.  Roy Miller would be an excellent undrafted free agent signing. 

Hopefully, this weekend will be a good one for the Vikings.  

      What can the Vikings do in the next two months to be dominating in 2009?  I do not have all the answers, but I thank I have a few suggestions.  Before we talk about players to add, let’s talk about holes or areas we need to shore up.

            I think the Vikings are in a good position approaching the draft and the end of free agency.  They have no glaring holes (after free agency), but do need to take steps to upgrade certain positions.  I think there are three areas the Vikings need to focus on in the first three rounds of the draft, and not in this exact order: 1) Wide Receiver; 2) Right Tackle; and, 3) Cornerback.

            Some people might think that the Vikings need to draft a center because of Matt Birk’s departure – I do not.  Although I wish Birk would have been resigned and never had a chance to go to Baltimore, the Vikings have enough players waiting in the wings, so that they do not need to worry with this position on draft day.  First in line is Sullivan, last years sixth round pick, a center drafted out of Notre Dame.  He has had a year to learn the system and get acclimated to the NFL.  Hopefully, he will be able to step in and replace Birk like Birk replaced Christy so many years ago.  If Sullivan struggles, Cook can also compete for the center position.  He played center at New Mexico and has good size.  He struggled at tackle, but he might be a better fit on the inside where he does not have to deal with the speed of an NFL defensive end.  He also has NFL experience.  In my opinion, although Mack is talented, I think we are set for this year at center.

            People are also concerned with defensive tackle.  It is true both of the Williams face potential suspensions for 4 games, but Evans and others can hold down the fort until the Williams brothers return.  For this position, I like the resigning of Kennedy.  He has a lot of talent and if he could feel comfortable and be in a system where the blocking schemes are not focused at him he could blossom.  Evans also played very well at the end of the year and will get more time in the rotation this year.  Lastly, Guion could also really develop this year after having a year of experience.

            Finally, I do not think we should draft a QB. We traded for Sage and he should have an opportunity to compete for the starting spot. Sage would not have been my first choice, as I have said I think Garcia’s scrambling ability would have been great for our offense.  Regardless, I do like the trade.  Sage played well for the Texans at times, I am concerned about his interception to touchdown ratio, but I think this will improve with experience and playing time.  Whoever takes over the QB position next year has two priorities, do not turn the ball over and get the wide receivers involved in the offense.  I think Sage could do this very well.  With Sage and Jackson competing for the starting spot, and Booty developing, the Vikings do not need another quarterback.  Additionally, this year’s draft class is not as good as they are being projected.  With the potential players the Vikings could pick up at the 22^nd spot, picking up a QB is not their best choice.  I do not even think the Vikings should consider Freeman. 

            Now lets talk about the three areas we need improvement.  First, let’s talk about Cornerback.  Realistically, we are in good shape for this year.  I love the re-signing of Sapp.  He brought an attitude to the defense and really played well at the end of the season.  With him and Gordon coming back from his injury we will have the nickel and dime packages covered.  Add McCauley in to the mix and there is a lot of talent in the secondary.  The starters are set with Winfield and Griffin.  Yes, at times Griffin appears inconsistent, but he is also playing across from one of the best corners in the league, so offenses look his way more.  That said, the reason why this is a position of need is because frankly McCauley has not developed as expected, Gordon is returning from an injury and Winfield is entering the last year of his contract.  Hopefully, he will be resigned, but the unknown after next year leaves this position on my list of areas of need.  Who could we look at in the 22^nd spot?  Simply, I love Alphonso Smith.  He is undersized, but is a play making machine.  I would not be surprised if he is strongly looked at as Winfield’s replacement.  The problem with picking him in the first round is this draft has a lot of cornerbacks and a solid CB could fall into the second round.  Also, I think there are some other players that could help the Vikings more potentially at the 22^nd pick in 2009.  So my suggestion is to wait and see who is available at the 22^nd pick and if Harvin or Andre Smith is not there then pick Alphonso Smith.

            The next area of need is right tackle.  The draft does have a lot of tackles, but I tell you this, Andre Smith is dropping on draft boards, but if he is available he should be the Vikings 22^nd pick.  (I know I touted Duke Robinson, but RT is a bigger area of need, plus we could potentially draft Herman Johnson or see Duke in the second round.)  Andre Smith prior to the bowl game was a projected number one pick.  He won every college award imaginable and dominated against superior speed and defensive talent in the SEC.  I know he has struggled since then, but all that talent and ability does not disappear.  The technique and talent he has did not change, he just became undisciplined.  In his pro day he did very well in his position drills, last time I checked he was going to be drafted to play tackle which he has a track record of being able to do better then any other college player.  If he falls this far, the Vikings should take him and solidify the right side of the line for years.  If he is not available then I think Harvin is the pick.  If Andre is not there we should still look for RT in the second round, we will potentially see Loadholt or Robinson, which would be great.  If we do not get a RT, do not fret, there are still players via free agency and we have two undrafted free agents from last year that could compete against Cook for the position.

            The last area of need is wide receiver.  I would have loved to see TJ be a Viking, but I thought it would be a long shot.  The two players I love here are Maclin and Harvin.  The problem is Maclin is a top ten pick and Harvin might be taken by the Jets.  The next tier of wide receivers is good, I like Heyward-Bey and Nicks, but they remind me to much of Rice.  Although these players are faster, they are tall physical receivers that would be productive, but do not bring the skills Harvin would.  Harvin will improve two phases of the Vikings game, offense and special teams.  The Vikings have struggled at the return game for years and getting an impact player that can create havoc in the slot position would do wonders for this team.  If Harvin is not there, then we could wait to see if Hicks or Heyward-Bey drop in the second round or we could also go out and sign Tory Holt.  Holt is use to domes and is a great character guy and teammate. 

       I also want to point out that the Vikings have two solid tight ends, one a great blocker and one a good receiver, but watch out for Chase Coffman and James Casey out of Rice.  Coffman has amazing hands and is a steal in the second round.  Casey is a beast and played in a passing offense at Rice.  If Casey is available in the third round he should be a Viking.

            In conclusion, this is my approach; I would target three players with the Vikings 22^nd pick, in this order Andre Smith, Percy Harvin, and Alphonso Smith.  If none are available I would turn to my board and take the highest rated player.  In the second round, I would look for Phil Loadholt, Duke Robinson, Hakeem Nicks, or even Chase Coffman.  In the third round I would look for Juaquin Iglesias, James Casey, Herman Johnson, or Victor Harris.  Our fourth round pick brought us our new signal caller.