The Vikings need help at quarterback. We know this. But the way the first round of the NFL Draft is shaping up, they may not be able to address that need with the fourteenth overall selection. All the players who would be good value at that pick might be gone, and there might not be one worth reaching on either. So if that's the case, where do they turn?
One idea is that they try to get younger, and maybe a little bit more talented, on the defensive line. In their latest 2011 NFL Mock Draft, SB Nation has the Vikings taking North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn. Here is their rationale.
In an already difficult-to-figure Top 10, Quinn - who did not astonish in Indianapolis, but tested well anyway - is a wild card that could really shake up the dynamic of Round 1. He makes a great deal of sense for the Vikings should he actually slip this far.
Quinn is an above average athlete and a natural pass rusher. If he forms a bookend with Jared Allen, he could reek havoc on opposing quarterbacks. But there might be players that are still on the board who represent similar value, and also fill a need that might be a little bit more pressing than defensive end. But Quinn is very talented, and the Vikings could take advantage of his troubles this past season and get excellent value in their first round pick.