The consensus is that if USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil is available for the Minnesota Vikings with the third overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, that it should take the Vikings all of about 30 seconds to turn their draft card in to Commissioner Roger Goodell. But what if Kalil ends up going to the St. Louis Rams at #2? Thus far, the prevailing wisdom is that the Vikings would either trade out of the pick to a team that wanted to select Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, or select one of two players. . .either Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon or LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.
Well, in his latest mock draft (available only to ESPN Insider users), ESPN Draft expert Todd McShay has presented a different option by having the Vikings go with an offensive tackle despite Kalil's absence. In this case, the player in question is Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff. Here's what McShay has to say about him:
The Vikings desperately need offensive weapons to help young QB Christian Ponder, but they also need to better protect their investment in Ponder. Reiff needs to get stronger, but he is an underrated athlete with the potential to become a very good starting left tackle in the NFL.
While I can't necessarily disagree with McShay's logic in this particular case. . .of all the gaping holes that the Vikings currently have on their roster, left tackle may be the biggest. . .I can't help but think that they could get Reiff further down the board and entertain the numerous trade down scenarios that would come their direction with Robert Griffin III still on the board in this scenario.