Minnesota Sports Forum

bleedspeed177 wrote:Good pick for Vikings. I think Center is the second most important position across the offensive line behind Left Tackle. Bradbury was the best center in the draft and could be the best center in the last 3 years. He fits the system perfectly. It is crazy how much much stronger and athletic he is then Elfein. It will be a big upgrade.

Elfein might not fit this system well. He is just is not that strong, mobile, or explosive. He looks like a better RG then LG to me. If we draft another interior lineman before the end of the 4th round I have a feeling he might not start. I really wonder where they feel Brian O'Neill's best position is. Look at the draft profiles below. You will see one guy is not like the others and that guy is Elfein.

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/garrett-bradbury?id=32194252-4109-2951-18e8-697b9ff5297c
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/profiles/pat-elflein?id=2557879
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/profiles/aviante-collins?id=2558251
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/brian-o'neill?id=32462018-0002-5601-12da-65ed51810c59

I'm gonna guess Elf will be able to do what they want in this scheme. Wasn't Easton sort of the smart squatter guy that relied on technique? Elf is going to be able to just go out and play and hopefully a full offseason he will be ready and more physically ready. If they really wanted a super athlete they would have put a higher priority on that guy from Jacksonville.

Having said all that it's nice to have an athletic guy like Collins that might be able to provide depth everywhere but center (because we have multiple guys that can play there). The Vikings should probably draft another olineman but if they didn't I actually wouldn't hate it.

PorkChop wrote:If your gonna pay him u better protect him and give him weapons. An athletic TE doesn't hurt.

Yep getting more help for Cousins and the offense makes sense. A good TE can help an offense in quite a few ways.

It was just a couple of highlights but I was pretty impressed with how Irvin ran. Looked more like a big WR than a TE. If he can block at all he looks pretty intriguing. Then they added a pretty interesting RB in the third round. As much as I liked Boone and Thomas last year Mattison looks like a more legit guy especially considering the scheme they will be running. He looks like a guy that could come in and fill in for a few games and get you some yards. Not as explosive as Cook (obviously) but I like him. There was one play against Wyoming he avoided being tackled by 2 different defenders in the backfield with 2 different cuts got through a hole hurdled one tackler landed and then drove through 2 more guys for a TD. Looks smooth catching the ball and then gets upfield quickly. Ran a 4.55 in his pro day.

I love moving back and getting a bunch of picks. Some people on twitter going crazy saying it's dumb those guys will just get cut anyway. The Vikings currently have four 7th round picks on their roster and I believe it's three 6th rounders. It was decades ago but Steve Jordon announced the 3rd round pick...he was picked in the 7th round. :) nobody wants a Stephen Weatherly or Shamar Stephen on the roster those guys aren't any good.

Vikes have talent at every position aside from OLine. If they feel they corrected their one weakness I see no problem with going after their bpas and hoping a couple stick. Regardless of last years results they're still in win now mode. Let's face it, it's either Super Bowl or blow the whole thing up at this point.

monsterpile wrote:
I'm gonna guess Elf will be able to do what they want in this scheme. Wasn't Easton sort of the smart squatter guy that relied on technique? Elf is going to be able to just go out and play and hopefully a full offseason he will be ready and more physically ready. If they really wanted a super athlete they would have put a higher priority on that guy from Jacksonville.

Having said all that it's nice to have an athletic guy like Collins that might be able to provide depth everywhere but center (because we have multiple guys that can play there). The Vikings should probably draft another olineman but if they didn't I actually wouldn't hate it.

I based on what we did day 2 in the draft he will be a big part of the plan, but I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes the weak link.

Loved the Irv Smith Jr pick after a run on the OL. I am not a fan of the continuing to trade down. I love the 3rd round due to it being the round where you are still looking at players that are early starters. We passed on some good players to add picks. I think Mattison looks like a good RB, but he went early. I feel like RBs can be picked off the street if needed. (AKA CJ Anderson for Rams)

The draft certainly has been affected by Kubiak in the room Who would have thought we wouldn't draft anyone on defense up to this point?

Vikes moved up to grab Dru Samia at offensive guard. Seems like a good value pick, although I know little about these guys. Four straight picks on the offensive side. Nice!

bleedspeed177 wrote:Loved the Irv Smith Jr pick after a run on the OL. I am not a fan of the continuing to trade down. I love the 3rd round due to it being the round where you are still looking at players that are early starters. We passed on some good players to add picks. I think Mattison looks like a good RB, but he went early. I feel like RBs can be picked off the street if needed. (AKA CJ Anderson for Rams)

The draft certainly has been affected by Kubiak in the room Who would have thought we wouldn't draft anyone on defense up to this point?

Lets put the trading down a different way. How would you feel about the Vikings giving up a 5th and multiple 6th and 7th rounders to move up 21 spots? They already used one pick to move up in the 4th round. The guys they are picking now are still possible starters. As for the RB...I'm kinda with you but I don't hate the pick either. He looks super solid and versatile. If he can pass protect he will be a nice player to have around.

I like the LB and the CB we took today. Still a couple picks to go.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! We got him!!!! Austin Cutting a Long Snapper!!!!! FINALLY!!!!! This draft was a success folks.

My issues with trading down are that I think the teams that succeed nail the 3-5th round picks. That is the heart of the draft and a lot of good players fall there. The difference between UDFA and 6th/7th round free agents is not that big.

The saving grace for me this year was that we added a 5th rounder in all of the trading. I think those first 20 picks in the 4th round is where a lot of good players go off the board that might have had higher projections.