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2012 NFL Mock Draft: Matt Kalil's Potential Impact On Vikings

The Star Tribune ran a story Sunday looking at what drafting Matt Kalil -- as is widely expected -- might mean for the future of the Minnesota Vikings.

The crux of the article is that while Kalil is considered a safe pick, it's tough to build a franchise around a left tackle.

Ask the folks who have studied the star left tackle -- the NFL coaches, scouts, general managers and draft analysts -- and they all will sing a similar refrain: Kalil is as close to a can't-miss offensive line prospect as you'll find.

He's strong and athletic. His feet are quick, and his reach packs power. Best of all, he has an undeniable ferocity that fires his ambition to get better.

Realistically, Kalil could be a perennial Pro Bowler for the next 10 to 12 years....

So why might the decision prove more complicated?

The juiciest quote from the story -- one picked up on by CBS Sports and NBC Sports, among others -- was this, from Vikings coach Leslie Frazier:

"You've got to really weigh your options," Frazier said. "Because the philosophy [in the NFL] has always been to get the game-changer. And left tackle is not necessarily the game-changer. Usually game-changers are the guys who can score you points. Receivers. Quarterbacks. So what are we measuring that left tackle against? It's a loaded debate."

All that said, there are still no indications -- in that article or elsewhere -- that the Vikings will take anyone other than Kalil.

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, go to Daily Norseman. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub, or check out SB Nation's YouTube channel:

Photographs by Micah Taylor, clairity, and Fibonacci Blue used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.