SB Nation Minnesota: All Posts by Ted Glover

Mike Mitchell: 2013 Ohio State football player profiles

2013-05-19T10:00:04Z

In the world of recruiting, there are always top linebacker prospects from the state of Ohio, and 2013 was no exception. Three of the top 40 in the class of 2013 came from the state, yet in an unusual turn of events, none of them signed with Ohio State. In years past, that would normally mean getting a second tier kid from the state, but Urban Meyer and staff broke out the machetes and hacked their way to Texas, opening up a pipeline which had been dormant for far too long. At the end of the trail they found what a lot of people think is the top linebacker prospect in the country in Mike Mitchell, and they plucked him from the heart of Big 12 and SEC country.

Vitals:

Ht: 6-4

Wt: 225

40: 4.39. That's a linebacker with running back/deep threat wide receiver speed. The Latin term for that is ‘Velocitus Linebackus Ridicus', which means ridiculous speed for a linebacker.

High School: Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, TX)

Origin Story:

Mike Mitchell started breaking out in the Spring of 2012 by taking the MVP award at a TCU/ Nike sponsored Training Camp, and then carried that momentum over to The Opening, held in Oregon, where he was declared the overall SPARQ champion. Out on the West Coast, he turned in that eye popping 40 time, set an all time points record at the competition, and really put himself on the recruiting radar. As spring turned to summer and then to fall, Mitchell's profile really began to rise. After his performance at The Opening, and he was named the preseason #1 linebacker for the Midlands Region, his overall ranking began to skyrocket, and interest in him went from mostly Texas schools to truly nationwide.

And he lived up to the hype and pressure that fall, amassing a ridiculous 186 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and five forced fumbles. He also returned kicks (one for a TD) and helped his high school, Prestonwood Academy, reach the state quarterfinals before falling to Austin-St. Michael's, 30-22. His highest ranking was on Scout, where he is listed as the #2 middle linebacker in the country, but the overall 247Composite rankings has him as the #6 outside linebacker nationally, and the #8 player in the state of Texas.

Although Mitchell became one of the hottest commodities on the recruiting trail, his recruitment was a pretty straightforward deal. He was offered by Ohio State fairly early on in the process (along with Texas, Texas A&M, and almost every major FBS program), and had a pretty consistent top three of the Buckeyes, Texas A&M, and Oregon. Most of the earliest speculation other than the Bucks gave the nod to A&M, as it was closest to his hometown of Plano, but OSU recrutiniks always felt good about eventually landing Mitchell. He was always overly complimentary of Meyer, Ohio State, and the staff, he never really said A&M was the school to beat, and OSU's relative depth (or lack of) at the linebacker position likely gave Mitchell the earliest chance to get in the rotation earliest.

After months of speculation that Ohio State was pretty much it for Mitchell, he finally made things official in the fourth quarter of the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Ohio State fans that had been coveting

2013 Prospectus:

When you're looking at a recruiting class, in many ways it's similar to grading an NFL draft class – everyone thinks even the 7th rounder was a 'steal', and is going to be a 'stud'. With recruiting classes, it's kind of the same deal, and at Ohio State it's even more accentuated – fans tend to think four and five star guys will walk right in and play, and it usually doesn't work out that way. Yes, many will contribute, but hardly any will start.

So listen to me when I tell you that Mike Mitchell is one of two or three guys in this class that legitimately has the ability to come in and start. When you combine the recent lackluster play of the linebackers with the exception of Ryan Shazier, their relative inexperience, and add in a lack of depth (especially in the wake of the rumored impending David Perkins transfer), and then let all that marinade in a crock pot while you sit and watch Mitchell's film? You come away with the impression that yeah, he can flat out play. I'm not sure I've seen a guy with his size and speed play the linebacker position as well as he does. I'm trying to put a restrictor plate on my compliments with this kid, and keep the perspective of him playing high school competition, but it's difficult.

He's athletic to play almost any position on the field; you see him close on and tackle wide receivers who had a 40 or 50 yard start on him after making a long catch and think he could be a shutdown cornerback. He's also got a very good instinct for the game, and seems to flow very well to where the ball is going to be. When blitzing, he doesn't screw around and gets right to the quarterback, and has no problem taking on and shedding blocks.

Seriously, a 4.39 40 with the hitting power of a truck. He hits hard, he shuts down anything coming into the middle, his closing speed and lateral movement just make you shake your head...plus he has a ridiculously cool nickname – The Abusement Park.

Remember the name Mike Mitchell, because by the time he leaves Columbus, he's going to give us some unforgettable memories and highlights alike.

Film Session:

One Of These Things Is Blatantly False:

Mike's younger brother, Mickey, is a highly touted sophomore with Prestonwood, and one the most sought after basketball recruits in the country
Mike is one of 9 siblings
Mike's dad played for the Atlanta Falcons for four years and became the first person to climb Mt. Everest after knee replacement surgery.
Mike comes from a family of underachievers**

**If you couldn't figure out that was the blatantly false one, I can't help you.

Report: Joe Webb Officially Moves To Wide Receiver

2013-05-16T04:49:51Z

In a move that really doesn't surprise a lot of people, Sid Hartman is reporting that Joe Webb is now officially listed as a wide receiver. Webb wasn't surprised by the move, and to his credit seems ready to make the most of what would seem to be his last opportunity with the Vikings:

"It’s going to be very interesting," he said. "I haven’t played it since my rookie minicamp, but I think I can adjust to it pretty good. You just have to put in a lot of work. Coach Stew [wide receivers coach George Stewart] will do a lot of that with me, so we’ll see what happens."

Here we go.

This doesn't really change the dynamic of the team, but it also kind of does, too. Webb really didn't have a chance as quarterback, especially after his playoff start against Green Bay. But his athleticism is something that can't be discounted, so the Vikings are going to look and see if he can contribute there.

But either way, the Joe Webb era as a quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings is over, long live the Joe Webb quarterback era.

At the end of the season, Webb had a better shot of making the team as a wideout than he does now. When Percy Harvin was traded, the chances increased substantially, but then dropped when the Vikes signed free agent Greg Jennings. As of today, the starters are seemingly set with Jerome Simpson and Greg Jennings. Jarius Wright projects for the slot position after his strong finish at the end of last season, and first round pick Cordarelle Patterson will see the field early and often. So it seems that Webb will be battling Greg Childs, Stephen Burton, and a cavalcade of training camp bodies for what will be one or possibly two spots.

What are his chances? Well, Webb does have a couple of advantages in his favor. For one, he knows the offense better than probably any other receiver, at least on a conceptual level. He also has the kind of natural athleticism that just can't be coached, and in rare moments has flashed it, to the delight of Vikings fans everywhere. And yes, I am one of those Vikings fans. He's also had experience at the receiver position, playing it as a sophomore in college.

But he also has some things working against him. For one, his route running is probably rusty, and he will be playing catch up in some fundamental areas. Secondly, he seems like he's on the outside looking in right now. By that I mean he doesn't have the advantage of being an incumbent at the position and will have to leapfrog several guys to earn that fifth or sixth spot. And for all his natural talent, that's not an easy task. Although he knows the offense cold, he still has to move past guys that have done nothing but play wide receiver at an FBS or professional level for several years, and that is something that cannot be discounted.

Really, I like Joe Webb, I just got sick of the Webb v. Ponder argument that seemed to overtake us here at times. Now, that's officially behind us, and we can all thank God for that. I think Webb has a legitimate chance to make the team as a 5th or 6th guy, simply for the fact the two guys he'll be competing against have some substantial questions. For Greg Childs, it's whether or not he can even play again after his double patella tear. For Stephen Burton, it's general ineffectiveness. He's been on the roster a couple of seasons now, and has not made a move up the depth chart at all.

So is this the end of the beginning of Joe Webb the quarterback and the beginning of the second beginning of Joe Webb the receiver...or the beginning of the end of the Joe Webb era?

Only time will tell. Good luck, Joe.

Poll

Will Joe Webb make the 53 man roster as a wide receiver?

New Minnesota Vikings Stadium: Stunning, Innovative, And Sufficient Bathrooms

2013-05-14T01:49:26Z

A little while ago at the Guthrie Theater, HKS, the architects of the new Minnesota Vikings stadium, unveiled it.

Oh, my.

To be honest, I'm not really sure what I expected, and for me, the bottom line was that the Vikes wouldn't be playing in the Metrodome.

They definitely won't be. They'll be playing in one of the most advanced, state of the art facilities in the entire world. Some highlights:

Clear is the new retractable: There is no retractable roof, but it will be made entirely of cutting edge materials and glass that will make the roof and the sides clear. There will also be five clear pivoting doors that will be the largest in the world of their kind:

You want HD video screens? You got HD video screens: There will be two HD video screens in the new stadium, both over 50 feet high and encompassing 12,000 square feet. There will also be over 1,200 HD TV's throughout the 1.6 square million foot facility.

Bathrooms! EFF YEAH!: Didn't get a grand total, but there will be 'sufficent bathrooms for a crowd of this size'. That announcement brought one of the largest cheers of the evening.

Versatility: The new stadium will be the most versatile sports facility in the United States, capable of hosting Final Fours, World Cup or MLS soccer, concerts, baseball, or Super Bowls. For football, it will seat 65,000, expandable to 73,000 for the Super Bowl.

Architecturally Stunning: This is about as cutting edge as one could imagine, but I really, really like it. The innovation with the largest pivoting glass doors in the world, to the largest clear ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) roof in the world and the first on a stadium in the nation, to the bowl that is level with the street as you walk in, to the modern lines and glass ceiling just combines well and works:

To learn more details of the stadium, click here.

It's also getting approval from some Vikings players:

That new stadium is SERIOUS!
— Greg Jennings (@GregJennings) May 14, 2013

So happy that the Viking fans will have such a great venue to watch their VIKINGS! Plus the other events that will come.
— Brian Robison (@Brian_Robison) May 14, 2013

Can't wait to play in new Vikings stadium.
— Sharrif Floyd (@sharriffloyd) May 14, 2013

Kids, just step back for a minute and think about where we were as fans this time last year--There was no new stadium, and it looked like it might be dead, the team was coming off a 3-13 season, and our superstar running back was rehabbing from a ghastly knee injury, and we weren't sure if he would ever make it back to the form he had before the injury.

Today, we cheer for a team that has new uniforms that are a tribute to the old throwbacks, a playoff team that just loaded up on talent in the draft, who will soon be playing in the most stunning, technologically advanced stadium in the NFL when it's finished.

Enjoy the ride, folks. You've earned it, and your advocacy, passion, and love for this franchise got us to this point. Pat yourself on the back and take a bow.

Well done, Minnesota Vikings. Well done indeed.

How does ex-Georgia Tech WR Jeff Greene fit at Ohio State?

2013-05-12T17:00:32Z

A couple days ago, we mentioned that Georgia Tech receiver Jeff Greene is transferring to OSU, and and talked a little bit about why, at least from a Georgia Tech point of view. As our Matt Brown mentioned, being a wide receiver in a Georgia Tech offense is about as useful as being an admiral in the Afghanistan Navy (it's a land locked country, son), and it makes sense that he might not be happy there.

But is Ohio State the best landing spot for him?

For one thing, standard transfer rules apply, so Greene has to sit out a year, making 2014 the earliest he can see the field. Last year, this would've been hailed as something akin to the cavalry coming over the hill to save the day. Wide receiver talent was either unknown or a 'clown show', as Urban Meyer infamously called it. Greene's arrival would have been welcome news, and his size and potential would have been something we would have been eager to see.

But now? Well, let's just say a lot has changed in a year.

Both Devin Smith and Philly Brown played well last year, and are expected to really step up this year. Brown is a senior and will be gone in '14, and Smith will be a senior in 2014. As electric as Smith can be at times, I think it's safe to say that at this point, he'll be back and barring anything unforseen, will be firmly entrenched as the starter.

That still leaves one starter spot potentially up for grabs, though. What does the rest of the depth chart look like for Greene come 2014, and what are his chances of seeing the field?

First off, let's look back to our Eric Schieve's Exploring the Depths piece about the WR's. If we project into the future, based on a balance of talent/experience, you would have to think that JUCO transfer Corey Smith will be the clubhouse favorite to line up opposite Smith. After Smith, perennial Spring Game MVP Michael Thomas would be next in line. Evan Spencer is kind of lurking in the shadows, and he will be a senior come 2014 and ready to compete for that other spot as well.

It's not out of the realm of possibility that Greene can overtake one, or maybe even two, but all three? I think that's a big hill to climb. Corey Smith looks ready to play at the FBS level, and it's not inconceivable that he will push Devin Smith and Brown for playing time. Thomas, if he can harness his talent, will be right there with him. Add to the fact that they've both been in the system and know it well, and then compare it to the relatively simple passing game of the triple option, that's one more hurdle for Greene to climb.

And that's to say nothing about the other extremely talented incoming newcomers. In addition to Smith, highly touted Jalin Marshall could very well be in the rotation sooner rather than later. Dontre Wilson (in addition to time at RB/H-back) should be in the mix, as will James Clark. It's not even out of the question Gareon Conley sees some time on offense, too.

And this is all before the final class of 2014 is signed. Of the seven current commits none are currently receivers, but that will most assuredly change by the time sooner rather than later, so there's yet another hurdle for Greene to overcome.

But all that said, Greene just wouldn't be transferring to and walking on at OSU unless the coaching staff saw something they feel would be an asset to the team, and will be given every opportunity to make an impact and see the field.

Whether or not that happens is all up to Jeff Greene at this point.

Your Current Vikings Roster And Final 53 Man Roster Prediction

2013-05-12T15:47:30Z

With free agency, the draft, and the undrafted free agency period over, the Vikings 90 man roster is complete. Let's take a look at what we have right now. A couple of notes before we continue. Anything after third team is squishy and pretty much interchangeable. And to save space and make the chart even out, some guys might not be in the correct spot (i.e., SE v. FL or WLB v. SLB), but for the guys that are training camp bodies, I didn't think it mattered all that much:

Position	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd team	Training Camp Bodies
QB	Christian Ponder	Matt Cassel	Joe Webb	McLeod Bethel-Thompson, James Vandenberg
RB	Adrian Peterson	Toby Gerhart	Matt Asiata	Joe Banyard, Bradley Randle, Jerodis Williams
FB	Jerome Felton	Zach Line
SE	Greg Jennings	Jarius Wright	Greg Childs	LaMark Brown, Chris Summers, Adam Thielen
FL	Jerome Simpson	Cordarelle Patterson	Stephen Burton	Erik Highsmith, Rodney Smith
TE	Kyle Rudolph	John Carlson	Rhett Ellison	Colin Anderson, Ford Chase
LT	Matt Kalil	Troy Kropog	Kevin Murphy
LG	Charlie Johnson	Travis Bond	Seth Olson
C	John Sullivan	Joe Berger	Camden Wentz
RG	Brandon Fusco	Jeff Baca	Tyler Holmes
RT	Phil Loadholt	DeMarcus Love	Mark Jackson	Keith Jackson
DT	Kevin Williams	Christian Ballard	Chase Baker	Anthony McCloud
NT	Sharif Floyd	Fred Evans	Letroy Guion	Everett Dawkins
LDE	Brian Robison	George Johnson	D'Aundre Reed	Lawrence Jackson
RDE	Jared Allen	Everson Griffen	Marquis Jackson	George Johnson, Collins Ukwu
WLB	Gerald Hodges	Larry Dean	Nathan Williams
SLB	Chad Greenway	Marvin Mitchell	Tyrone McKenzie
MLB	Erin Henderson	Audie Cole	Michael Mauti
LCB	Xavier Rhodes	Josh Robinson	Marcus Sherels	Jacob Lacy, Greg McCoy
RCB	Chris Cook	A.J. Jefferson	Brandon Burton	Bobby Felder, Roderick Williams
SS	Jamarca Sanford	Mistral Raymond	Andrew Sandejo
FS	Harrison Smith	Robert Blanton	Brandon Bishop	Darius Eubanks
K	Blair Walsh
P	Jeff Locke

So, who's going to make the final 53? Here's my prediction:

Position	1st Team	2nd Team	*3rd team*
QB	Christian Ponder	Matt Cassel	McLeod Bethel-Thompson
RB	Adrian Peterson	Toby Gerhart	Matt Asiata
FB	Jerome Felton
SE	Greg Jennings	Jarius Wright	Greg Childs
FL	Jerome Simpson	Cordarelle Patterson	Adam Thielen
TE	Kyle Rudolph	John Carlson	Rhett Ellison
LT	Matt Kalil	Troy Kropog
LG	Charlie Johnson	Travis Bond
C	John Sullivan	Joe Berger
RG	Brandon Fusco	Jeff Baca
RT	Phil Loadholt	DeMarcus Love
DT	Kevin Williams	Christian Ballard
NT	Sharif Floyd	Everett Dawkins
LDE	Brian Robison	D'Aundre Reed
RDE	Jared Allen	Everson Griffen
WLB	Gerald Hodges	Larry Dean
SLB	Chad Greenway	Marvin Mitchell
MLB	Erin Henderson	Michael Mauti	Audie Cole
LCB	Xavier Rhodes	Josh Robinson	Marcus Sherels
RCB	Chris Cook	A.J. Jefferson
SS	Jamarca Sanford	Mistral Raymond
FS	Harrison Smith	Robert Blanton
K	Blair Walsh
P	Jeff Locke
LS	Colin Loeffler

Every year, there seems to be one guy that kind of comes out of nowhere to make the team. A lot of folks were mildly surprised when Adam Thielen was given a contract and signed after what was essentially an open tryout after the draft and undrafted free agents were signed, so right now, I'm going with him. You could also make a case for undrafted free agent fullback Zach Line. He was given the biggest bonus of all the undrafted free agents, and also, MOAR FULLBACKS. But Jerome Felton will be tough to unseat, and I just don't see two fullbacks on the final roster. Could he overtake Matt Asiata for the third RB spot? Yes, but I generally try and lean towards the veterans in this exercise, so I give the nod to Asiata here. You could also go with four tight ends, as that's not out of the realm of possibility here, either. Although the two tight end set is the base formation, the Vikings were in it les than 50% of the time. So you could slide in one of either Colin Anderson or Ford Chase and take out Thielen, and you still have the guy coming from nowhere scenario THAT I WILL CLING TO UNTIL IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

Ahem.

I like the potential of the receiving corps. I'm not a huge fan of Jerome Simpson, but I think he starts and the Vikings let Cordarelle Patterson ease into the offense. Greg Childs is a guy I'm really rooting for--if he can get back to what he was showing in training camp the Vikings might be cooking with oil between Greg Jennings, Jarius Wright, Childs and Patterson. Granted, a lot of things have to fall perfectly for the full potential to be realized, but overall I like this group better top to bottom than I liked what the Vikings had heading to Mankato last year. And if Patterson realizes his explosive, big play potential early, the loss of Harvin might...MIGHT...be negated.

Over on defense, I was torn between the extra linebacker or the extra defensive back, and I sided with linebacker. I didn't keep Cole just to pander to the DN faithful (well, maybe just a little); I think he'll be a big contributor on special teams this year, and I like his potential over the flotsam and jetsam that are the defensive backs after Marcus Sherels. And with Mike Mauti's injury history, it might be prudent to have an extra guy there. Mostly, I'm still worried about the nickel and dime depth with A.J. Jefferson and Sherels, but I don't see anyone on the roster that's better than those two guys right now, and I'm skeptical that any one of them will emerge.

I do like the starting lineup with Gerald Hodges, Sharif Floyd, and Xavier Rhodes thrown in there, though. Yes, I know Floyd and Kevin WIlliams are both three technique guys, but I submit that Floyd playing out of position as a nose tackle is better than Fred Evans or Letroy Guion playing their natural position, and as bad a year that Guion had last season, I don't see him making the final 53.

Anyway, that's how I'm seeing it from here. As to the practice squad, I have no idea. You tell me.

Trey Johnson: 2013 Ohio State football player profiles

2013-05-11T10:00:09Z

Life is funny. What seems a sure thing one day doesn't really make it so, and things can turn on a dime. Auburn's post championship collapse left a recruiting class hanging in the wind and ripe for the picking. And that's precisely what happened with Trey Johnson, former Auburn commit and current inbound Buckeye.

Vitals:

Ht: 6-2

Wt: 220

40 time: At Ohio State, we don't measure linebacker times in seconds and tenths of seconds, we measure them on Violence Potential Scale. Johnson's VPS time has been measured at Spielman point Carpenter.

High School: Central Gwinnett, Lawrenceville, GA

Origin Story:

A couple of weeks back when we profiled Gareon Conley, we called his early recruitment and commitment to Michigan an 'open and shut' case. If Conley was open and shut to Michigan, then Trey Johnson plead guilty, waived his Miranda rights, and went directly to sentencing. In recruiting, there's no such thing as a 'lock', but Johnson's was about as close as you could get. He committed to Auburn the summer before his junior year in 2011, and was considered a coup back then. As his profile grew, his commitment to the Tigers stayed strong. He took a visit here and there, but there was nothing to make you believe that come National Signing Day 2013, Trey Johnson would be anything but a Tiger.

Then Auburn imploded, going from National Champion to also-ran. Recruiting is built as much on relationships as it is anything else, and Johnson had built a solid relationship with Auburn coach Gene Chizik and defensive coordinator Ted Roof. When Roof left Auburn for UCF (and later Penn State), Johnson stayed firm to Auburn, but as their 2012 season started to unravel and rumors about Chizik's job status swirled, Johnson began to re-think his commitment, and he wanted to take his allotted official visits:

They are going through a situation with a possible coaching change, I would still look around even if it was not going on but looking at their season, a coaching change maybe coming.

And when Johnson came to Columbus, things seemed to align for the Buckeyes. OSU beat Michigan, and his visit exceeded everything he had expected. The day after he left Columbus, Johnson officially de-committed from Auburn and opened his recruiting backup, with Ohio State the heavy favorites.

Although Florida and Tennessee were also finalists for Johnson and OSU had to sweat out an official visit to Tennessee at the end of January, on January 4th he announced he would be donning the Scarlet and Gray, giving Ohio State the second ranked inside linebacker in the country per 247Sports Composite rankings, and the #11 recruit from the state of Georgia.

2013 Prospectus:

Linebacker has been a position of need at Ohio State the last couple of years, and with Ryan Shazier the only returning starter, Trey Johnson's pedigree will get him a foot in the door come fall camp. That guarantees him nothing, of course, because it looks like right now Curtis Grant will be the starter on the inside and Joshua Perry on the outside opposite Shazier, but nothing is 100% guaranteed outside of the Buckeyes' star LB. Add in the news that sophomore LB David Perkins is likely transferring and you get the feeling that incoming freshmen linebackers better be ready to play.

When you watch film on Johnson, you come away with a couple impressions: he has a nose for where the ball is, and attacks it violently. He lined up mostly as a 'Mike', and he does a very good job of not getting lost in traffic, finding the ballcarrier, and ending the play. On the outside, he moves side to side very well, preventing a ballcarrier from turning the corner, and when he blitzes, there's not a lot of fooling around. It's a straight line to the quarterback to either sack him or force him into a bad throw.

When you watch him tackle, you watch a kid that is as fundamentally sound in the art of tackling as I have seen in awhile. His shoulders are almost always square to the carrier, head up, lead with the shoulder and wrap with the arms. When he goes in to make the play, people don't get away from him.

But the most impressive thing when watching his highlight film was his speed. His closing speed from the outside was borderline ridiculous, and is yet another Meyer speedburner on defense. When playing the inside, his speed, when combined with his instincts, meant that ballcarriers never got to the second level, and any big gains were stopped before they were started.

If there's a criticism I have with his game it's that sometimes he seems slow to recognize a play develop, and that could hurt him at the next level. He was able to make up for that with his pure athleticism most of the time, but it's something he'll need to work on when he arrives on campus if he wants to crack the starting lineup.

Highlight Reel:

One Of These Things Is Blatantly False:

Trey committed to Auburn initially because of his relationship with then DC Ted Roof
Roof went to the same high school and played the same position as Trey
Johnson announced to Ohio State during the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game
Gene Chizik was fired while Johnson was on his official visit to OSU
Cam Newton's Auburn recruitment was one of the most by the book, on the up and up courtships in the history of college athletics.

Vikings Draft 2013: Who Will Be The Top Rookie?

2013-05-09T02:17:31Z

Yesterday in the open thread, one of our community members (Grime) asked a couple questions about the rookies-who would be the top performer in the first four weeks, and who would be the top rookie when it's all said and done?

Before we continue, a quick refresher on the Vikings 2013 draft class:

Round 1: Sharrif Floyd, DT. Xavier Rhodes, CB. Cordarelle Patterson, WR.

Round 4: Gerald Hodges, LB

Round 5: Jeff Locke, P

Round 6: Jeff Baca, G

Round 7: Michael Mauti, LB. Travis Bond, G. Everett Dawkins, DT.

It's an interesting question, and one that elicited a good discussion, but I thought it might be worth exploring a little more in depth. The obvious ones are the first round triplets of Sharrif Floyd, Xavier Rhodes, and Cordarelle Patterson, each for different reasons.

First, let's assume all three will either start or see significant playing time as a rookie. Because if they don't, well...hey, not even an option. They'll all play.

For those that think Floyd will be the key, they look to the deterioration of the Vikings run game and the lack of an interior pass rush since pat Williams retired. With the pressure the Vikings bring from the ends, a lot of would-be sacks are avoided because the opposing QB has room in the pocket to step up, avoid the perimeter rush, and make a play. Floyd brings that disruptive push back to the middle, and could improve an already stout pass rush.

A lot of folks think Xavier Rhodes will be key, and they point to Minnesota's schedule-they play an ‘elite' NFL QB almost every single week, and the NFC North has a trio of outstanding QB's the Vikings will face. I really like the Chris Cook/Rhodes combo on the outside, but I still worry about the nickel and dime position. Rhodes will be good, don't get me wrong, but I think it will be easy for offenses to avoid him and still exploit an unsteady secondary.

The great mystery of the first round is Cordarelle Patterson. Supporters think he's going to be the next Percy Harvin, only better. Personally, I think it's WAY too premature to talk like that. The raw talent is there, but I think Patterson will have the least impact early on. I see him starting out as the main kick and punt returner, but I don't see him as one of the top three wideouts when the season starts. I think it'll be Greg Jennings, Jerome Simpson, and Jarius Wright, with Patterson easing into the passing game. First round receivers making an impact in a meaningful way in their rookie year is spotty, at best, and there's already pressure on him to be the ‘next Percy'...at least on the field (pleasenotoffthefieldpleasenotoffthefield). With Jennings, a fully healthy and non-suspended Simpson, and primary slot candidate Wright, the Vikings have the luxury of breaking him in gradually without putting any extra pressure on him, and I think that will help him in the long run.

But that said all he needs is one big explosive catch and run to flip that theory completely on its ear.

But let's look at the later round guys, because there's a couple guys from day three that have a chance to make just as big of an impact as the first round guys.

You guys have probably figured out by now that I'm pretty sold on seventh rounder Michael Mauti. His detractors rightly point to his three ACL injuries while at Penn State and think there's no chance this guy can stay healthy, and maybe they're right.

Well, they're all wet.

Because the Vikings have Certified Athletic Trainer^TMEric Sugarman, and that is something that can't be discounted. For those of you that have had any type of surgery, you know that there are two parts--the actual procedure, and then the rehabilitation. If you don't take the rehab seriously, your recovery takes longer, and you can actually re-injure yourself.

I would argue that Sugarman is the Adrian Peterson of athletic trainers, and his track record in inury rehabilitation is second to none. For those of you that aren't familiar:

Courtesy Viking Memes

In 2009, MLB E.J. Henderson had that gruesome broken leg against the Arizona Cardinals (please, I beg you, don't go look for the video if you haven't seen it--just trust Uncle Ted on this). No one in NFL history had come back from a compound fracture of a femur to play, much less start. Sugarman and his staff only created what they now call the ‘Henderson Protocol' in medical circles, and it is the gold standard in femur rehabilitation for athletes. Henderson not only returned to the NFL and started for a couple more seasons, he finished second to Michael Vick in Comeback Player of the Year voting...and no, don't even get me started about that, because I'm still irritated about that.

When Cedric Griffin blew out one ACL in the 2009 NFC Championship, then the other one early in 2010, it was Sugarman and his staff that had Griffin starting by the beginning of 2011. That was also one of only two or three times in NFL history that a cornerback had returned from ACL surgeries on both knees to start in the NFL.

He also out doctored an emergency room doctor when Christian Ponder had his arm injury flare up after the season was over.

And of course, his masterpiece: Adrian Peterson's rehab and return from an ACL and MCL tear that saw him come within 9 yards of the NFL single season rushing record, and all the orange peanuts he could stand to eat.

I say all this to tell you that Sugarman and his staff have probably looked over Mauti's medical chart more closely than Mauti's doctors have, and started developing a plan for him before the Vikings drafted him. Whatever that plan is will work, because no Eric Sugarman rehab plan and schedule has ever failed. If Mike Mauti is able to take part in training camp from day one, he is going to be the starting middle linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings by week 6, and he's going to be a stud.

I also like Gerald Hodges a lot, too. The Vikings haven't had a solid left to right linebacking combo since 2009, when Chad Greenway, E.J. Henderson, and Ben Lieber were the starters, and if there is a unit that is still a fairly patchwork group, I would put them at the top of the list.

Mauti's strength is leadership, a nose for the ball, and his tackling ability. Hodges was a tackling machine at Penn State, but is more known for his coverage skills in the short to intermediate range.

Other than Chad Greenway the last couple seasons, Vikings linebacker play has been spotty. If Mauti can move into the middle with Hodges taking Lieber's old spot on the outside with Greenway to anchor them, the Vikings suddenly have a formidable unit from front to back.

Seriously, think about it for a minute--other than the defensive tackle position opposite Floyd and Williams (and there's nothing preventing the Vikings from using both at the same time), the safety opposite Harrison Smith, and CB depth at the nickel, Minnesota will have a formidable defense.

One thing the Vikings have been exceptional at in the last few drafts is finding mid to late round guys that have become starters-Blair Walsh, Brandon Fusco, and Everson Griffen, just to name a few.

And I have every reason to believe that the trend will continue in 2013.

Percy Harvin v. Christian Ponder: Subtle War of Words?

2013-05-06T22:28:58Z

When Percy Harvin was traded to Seattle in March, Yahoo! Sports reported that it was a culmination of things, but the straw that essentially broke the camel's back was Harvin's complaints about quarterback Christian Ponder 'not being good enough'. Never mind he was leading the NFC in catches with 62 when he was injured in week nine and put on IR.

Also, something something 10-6, four game win streak to end the season, 5-2 without Harvin, playoffs something something. At the time, Ponder stayed above the fray, saying nothing but good things about Harvin and the situation:

The thing is, there’s no quote strictly from Percy that he was the one saying it," Ponder said. "I haven’t put too much thought into it. If that was his opinion, that’s unfortunate. But he’s a Seahawk now, so it doesn’t really matter.

Pretty magnanimous, all things considered. However, at Harvin's introductory press conference, Harvin seemed to confirm the Yahoo! report, without coming out and really, you know, confirming it:

I’m very blessed to know that this doesn’t come around often to play with an up and coming quarterback like Russell, who guys are comparing preparation-wise to Brett Favre. When I hear that, and hear people comparing him to Brett Favre, I listen. So seeing this opportunity, I’m very, very, very grateful.

Ouch. When you say that Wilson is an up and coming quarterback who compares to Brett Favre, and don't mention the young QB you just left in Minnesota, you're pretty much saying that Ponder isn't said up and coming quarterback.

Still, Ponder didn't really say anything more about it, until a few days ago. When asked about the off-season changes, I would like to think he gave Harvin the same back handed treatment Harvin gave him:

The big thing with Greg (Jennings), who's obviously a great player, is he also provides that leadership. I think he's a true pro. He can show these young guys what it takes in this league. I think we have a good dynamic. Everyone has come and shown up to work. It will be good to get these rookies in this weekend. The dynamic has changed, but I think it's good.

Heh. Now, could he just be talking specifically about what Jennings brings to the table? Sure, but I personally found it interesting that he used the the phrase 'provides leadership', and about showing up for work, because of Harvin's conspicuous absence from the team after he went on IR.

The NFL is a tough job, and the quarterback position is even that much tougher. As a quarterback, it's a fine line to walk between leader and whiner, and a misstep can be fatal, for his team, his ability to lead the team, and their career in general.

In this instance, Ponder navigated the minefield well. Now, go navigate the NFC North just as well.