SB Nation Minnesota - Vikings Have Excellent First Day Of NFL Draft With Pair Of First Round Picks

NFL Draft Results: Vikings' Rick Spielman Shows Savvy In First Draft As General Manager

2012-04-30T13:00:53Z

When the Minnesota Vikings gave the title of General Manager over to Rick Spielman. . .after they may or may not have flirted with the idea of bringing in Bill Parcells (depending on what source you believe). . .the former Miami Dolphins' GM knew that he was starting a rebuilding project. A team that went to the NFC Championship Game in 2009 was making a transition from being one of the NFL's oldest teams to one of its youngest, and Spielman was selected to facilitate the process.

For the past two weeks, Spielman had been trying to drum up a trade market for the Vikings' first-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the third overall selection. Outwardly, Spielman was attempting to make it appear that he was interested in LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, who was thought to be highly coveted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the end, however, it was Alabama running back Trent Richardson that held the key. Spielman knew that both the Cleveland Browns, who were selecting at #4 overall, and the Buccaneers at #5 were interested in Richardson. Obviously, there was no way that the Vikings were taking Richardson because they're already pretty solid at the running back position, so he managed to pit the Browns and the Buccaneers in a staredown to see who wanted the talented Crimson Tide runner the most.

About an hour before the draft, the Browns finally blinked. They sent the Vikings a fourth-round pick, a fifth-round pick, and a seventh-round pick for the right to move up from #4 to #3 and secure Richardson's services. After trying unsuccessfully to get Tampa Bay to move up from #5 to #4 to secure Claiborne, the Vikings went ahead and took the player they should have been focusing on all along anyway, that being USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil. Kalil was immediately penciled in at left tackle for the Vikings, and Charlie Johnson will get moved inside to left guard. . .a move that had, apparently, been discussed since Week 3 of last season.

The trade gave the Vikings a total of 13 picks, more than anybody in this year's selection process, and Spielman told reporters not to be surprised if the team traded back up into the first round. They did just that, sending their second-round pick and one of their four fourth-round picks to the Baltimore Ravens to jump back into Thursday's action at #29 and select Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. The Vikings needed a safety, and the drop-off in talent at the position from Smith and Alabama safety Mark Barron (who went at #7 overall) was significant. Spielman had the ammunition to get what he wanted, and he showed the willingness to use it.

Throughout the course of the draft, the Vikings focused on their many needs. They continued to add to their woeful secondary by selecting Central Florida speedster Josh Robinson and Notre Dame safety/corner hybrid Robert Blanton. The team added to their talent at wide receiver by selecting Arkansas Razorback teammates Jarius Wright and Greg Childs. They may have even found a replacement for the retired Jim Kleinsasser in USC tight end/fullback Rhett Ellison. Minnesota managed to get a couple of steals in the seventh round in thumping linebacker Audie Cole and California defensive lineman Trevor Guyton. They even found a potential replacement for incumbent kicker Ryan Longwell in Georgia standout Blair Walsh.

Spielman did well enough for himself that he even managed to scoop up two draft picks for 2013. He got a fourth-round selection from the Vikings' division rivals, the Detroit Lions, and snagged a sixth-round selection from the Tennessee Titans in a couple of Saturday trades. That means that the Vikings already have nine picks for the 2013 draft, and if the rebuilding goes as planned, the Vikings could use those extra picks to really start turning a corner.

Many people, yours truly included, were skeptical of the Vikings handing the General Manager position over to Rick Spielman. However, if this weekend's draft was any indication, it looks like all of our worrying was for nothing.

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Vikings Draft Grades: Minnesota Continues Solid Performance On Day 2

2012-04-28T15:06:39Z

Following the first day of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings had received favorable reviews across the board. After adding extra picks while still being able to retain their player of interest in Matt Kalil by moving back to the fourth overall pick in a trade with the Cleveland Browns, the Vikings ended Day 1 by moving up to pick No. 29 to select Notre Dame Safety, Harrison Smith.

By all accounts, it was fairly solid first day, which saw the Vikings add players who are expected to be proficient players at the professional level. The team's ability to select solid players continued into Day 2.

Selecting Central Florida cornerback Josh Robinson with the No. 66 pick in the third round, the Vikings added a fast player with a lot of upside.

When it came time to grade Minnesota's second day selection, SB Nation's Michael Bean liked the pick and chalked it up as another solid move by the Vikings, giving it a ‘B' grading.

Here's what he had to say:

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Vikings Draft Picks 2012: Minnesota Wraps Up Final Day With Wealth Of Picks

2012-04-28T13:53:00Z

After starting the 2012 NFL Draft by trading the third overall selection in exchange for the fourth overall selection and three extra picks, the Minnesota Vikings will look to continue a productive performance in the final day of the draft.

(1) #4 Matt Kalil, Offensive Tackle, USC

(1) #29 Harrison Smith, Safety, Notre Dame

(3) #66 Josh Robinson, Cornerback, Central Florida

Despite trading away the third selection, the Vikings were still able to select their man, USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil at No. 4. However their first day wasn't over yet; prior to the end of the first round, Minnesota traded up to the 29th pick in order to select safety Harrison Smith. After a quiet day on Day 2 where the Vikings only made one selection at No. 66 when they took cornerback Josh Robinson, Minnesota will be a force on the third and final day.

(4) #118

(4) #128

(4) #134

(5) #138

(5) #139

(6) #175

(7) #210

(7) #211

(7) #223

Coming into Day 3 with ownership of nine picks, including five of which take place between picks 118-139 in the fourth round, the Vikings have a golden opportunity to develop their team into a force. Whether they use the picks or turn them into assets, Minnesota has a chance to quickly turn their franchise around.

2012 NFL Draft Grades: Vikings Get Job Done In Round 1

2012-04-27T17:44:43Z

There was a great deal of uncertainty surrounding what the Minnesota Vikings planned to do with the third overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. With many expecting that the Vikings would select left tackle Matt Kalil, there was an underlying thought that the team may balk at the opportunity to use the pick, opting instead to trade down and collect assets.

Ultimately, they ended up doing both.

Trading the third pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the fourth overall selection in addition to a handful of picks, the Vikings used the fourth pick to select Kalil and added picks. However, the team wasn't finished yet; prior to the end of the first round they traded the 35th overall selection and the 98th overall selection to the Baltimore Ravens in order to trade up to pick 29 to select the second highest-rated saftey, Harrison Smith.

When it came time to grade the Vikings picks, SB Nation NFL Editor Joel Thorman gave them a 'B' grade. Here's his rationale:

"Love that the Vikings picked up three extra mid-round picks to move back one spot and draft the guy they wanted (Matt Kalil). Not a big fan of trading back into the first round for Harrison Smith. Good player, just not a huge fan of the trade-up."

2012 NFL Draft Grades: SB Nation Gives Vikings Good Marks

2012-04-27T14:07:23Z

So far, so good for the Minnesota Vikings. They've gotten generally rave reviews for their performance in the first round of the draft, somehow getting the Cleveland Browns to trade them three picks and getting the guy they were going to draft third overall anyway, Matt Kalil, as well as trading back into the first round to snag Harrison Smith.

The SB Nation Youtube Channel released video recaps of the draft by division on Friday, and they have good things to say about the Vikings in the NFC North video. With their two solid selections and shrewd way of getting those picks out of Cleveland they earn an easy A.

NFL Draft Grades: Minnesota Vikings Considered 'Winners' After First Round

2012-04-27T12:30:21Z

The Minnesota Vikings have probably had more than their fair share of blunders when it comes to the NFL Draft, but the 2012 rendition seems destined to be different. It may be too early to say that after just one round, but general manager Rick Spielman is getting high marks for Thursday's results.

NFL Draft grades were released by ESPN following the conclusion of Thursday's 32 picks and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Vikings were named the biggest winners for their decision to grab Matt Kalil and Harrison Smith after trading down to get the former and then back up to grab the latter.

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman proved to be the shrewdest among the wheelers and dealers. He was able to get three additional picks from the Cleveland Browns and still get the player the Vikings wanted -- left tackle Matt Kalil. The process started by getting the word out that they wanted to draft either Kalil or cornerback Morris Claiborne. The idea was to convince the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who started with the No. 5 pick, that they might be left with Claiborne if the Vikings selected Kalil and the Browns selected running back Trent Richardson. He also got word out that other teams were interested in picking No. 3.

Unlike the Bucs, the Browns knew the Vikings wouldn't take Richardson; they have Adrian Peterson on the roster. Although the Vikings didn't get a second- or third-rounder, the acquisition of a fourth-, fifth- and seventh-round pick gave them even more flexibility in this draft. That upped their draft total to 13 picks. As the round developed, the Vikings were able to move back into the first round in a deal with theBaltimore Ravens to get safety Harrison Smith. The Vikings came out with Kalil and Smith, and have 10 more choices over the final two days of the draft. It doesn't get much better than that.

It'll be a whole new ball game if they're able to pull that off with their 10 picks coming up over the next couple of days, but at least they started off better than most likely expected.

NFL Draft Results: Harrison Smith Selected By Minnesota Vikings

2012-04-27T03:03:26Z

The Minnesota Vikings took some of their cadre of picks and moved back into the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft on Thursday evening. They sent their second-round pick, the 35th overall selection, and their fourth-round pick, which is #98 overall, to the Baltimore Ravens in order to move into the first round at the 29th overall spot.

With that choice, they took Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. As we all know, the Vikings' secondary was a disaster in 2011, with injuries and a general lack of talent making a defense that led the NFL in sacks somehow be absolutely horrible in the passing game. Smith is a very athletic safety that should be able to jump into the starting lineup and contribute immediately. He was a team captain for the Fighting Irish, and ended his career with Notre Dame with over 300 tackles, seven interceptions, and 28 pass break-ups. He actually played as a strong-side linebacker for the Irish in 2009.

The Vikings needed to get help for the secondary at some point in this draft, and it appears that all the corners that they liked at this point were off the board. Harrison Smith is a solid selection, in my opinion. ESPN's scouting services have him as the 29th-best player in the draft overall, and as an "89" on a scale of 1-100.

With that, the Vikings are done in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, and don't have a pick until the third round, #66 overall.

2012 NFL Draft: Vikings Select Harrison Smith With 29th Overall Pick

2012-04-27T02:51:56Z

With the 29th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Notre Dame Fighting Irish strong safety Harrison Smith. He is rated as the second-best SS prospect in the 2012 NFL Draft, according to Mocking The Draft's rankings.

The scouting report on Smith from Mocking The Draft says that he is far better working in the box because he reads plays well at the line of scrimmage, but he still struggles a bit when asked to man-up on receivers downfield.

NFL Draft Tracker via Sports Illustrated

The Vikings' next pick is the 66th overall pick, in the third round.

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