Percy Harvin Can Get In, But Does He Fit In?

by Gonzo on Apr 21, 2009 8:34 PM CDT in Vikings Comment 47 comments

FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2009 file photo, Florida's Percy Harvin (1) is tackled by Oklahoma's Nic Harris (5) during the fourth quarter of the BCS Championship NCAA college football game in Miami. Harvin is a top prospect in the 2009 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/J. Pat Carter, File)

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7 months ago: FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2009 file photo, Florida's Percy Harvin (1) is tackled by Oklahoma's Nic Harris (5) during the fourth quarter of the BCS Championship NCAA college football game in Miami. Harvin is a top prospect in the 2009 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/J. Pat Carter, File)

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One of the names that has been frequently linked to the Minnesota Vikings in the 2009 NFL Draft has been Percy Harvin, the running back/receiver/Swiss Army Knife from the national champion Florida Gators. Harvin, for portions of last year, what the best player on a team that had the defending Heisman Trophy winner in the backfield, and had an absolutely monster game at 75% health in the biggest game of his life, helping the Gators defeat the Oklahoma Sooners in the BCS Title Game in January.

Prior to the revelation that he had tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Harvin was projected to be drafted anywhere from the middle of Round One to the top of Round Two. However, his stock seems to be sliding a little bit, and there's a slim chance that he might even be available when the Vikings get on the clock in Round Two (though I certainly wouldn't bet on that happening). There are many Viking fans out there who would love to see Harvin become a member of the Vikings on Saturday afternoon. Frankly, if the guy can prove he's clean, he could potentially be a very good pick for us.

Potentially.

And I use that word because there's a real possibility that Harvin and Minnesota would not be a good match. Now, how can an athlete of Harvin's caliber be a bad match for anybody, you might wonder? Read on.

For those of you that are familiar with college recruiting and/or the NCAA Football series of video games, you know that in recent years a new recruiting category has been added. . .the category of "athlete." This category covers guys that really don't have a set position on the football field, but have an insane amount of athletic ability and have a unique knack for making plays When this category was created, Percy Harvin was pretty much the player that they had in mind.

He's not a big guy, having been measured at 5'11" and 190 pounds. He's really not big enough to line up outside on a regular basis at the NFL level, but could potentially be an outstanding option out of the slot. However, at Florida, he mad a lot of big plays from the running back spot as well. And though he never returned a kick or a punt at the college level, his open field quickness and blistering straight-line speed give him the tools to be a potentially devestating return specialist. Return guys are nice, but the Vikings aren't about to spend the #22 pick in the draft on a return guy.

Harvin's effectiveness outside of his (potential) return abilities would depend on how adept his coaches are at getting him out in space, exploiting matchups, and getting him into position to do what he does best. He could potentially be a big play threat from any spot on the field, given the right situation. So why do I think that Harvin might not be a great fit for Minnesota?

Think about our offense. Think about our coaching staff. Then go back and re-read the previous paragraph. Go ahead. . .I'll wait.

See what I mean?

Some team is going to get themselves a heck of a football player in Percy Harvin, in my opinion. But that team probably won't be Minnesota. . .and, quite frankly, that might be for the best. Both for Percy Harvin and the Minnesota Vikings.

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I can't believe...

that any so-called draft “expert” would think the Chiller would take a dude like this. Harnessing a talent and personality like this would take…what do you call it? Oh yeah…coaching. Chiller doesn’t do coaching. He assembles talent, tells them where to line up, and then just expects them to get better on their own.

IMHO, there is a 0% chance Harvin ends up on this team. Strangely enough, I’m glad on this one because I really don’t see him being anything more than a Devin Hester like novelty. Not that I don’t want a Hester-type return guy, it’s just not worth a 1st day pick.

"I'm gonna make you cry...I'm gonna make you cry and dip my cookie in your tears!!!"

by mutleyil on Apr 21, 2009 8:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

stupid no doubt...

However, I agree with most of the others who say smoking a little pot, especially in college, is not a big deal. Is it stupid, yes, but remember Warren Sapp and Randy Moss. This kid could be a difference maker for a team like the Vikes. I hope the Vikes have been talking to him and his agent and asking Harvin to retest privately. Hopefully he can show he can keep himself clean.

The above being said, I would no longer waste a 1st round pick on him. If he is there in the second he should be ours.

by PurpleJesus on Apr 23, 2009 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just can't belive the league thinks smoking a little weed

is somehow akin to being the Antichrist. F’ing hypocrites.

by VikingBillArlingtonVA on Apr 21, 2009 9:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

by purplegrey on Apr 21, 2009 10:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

A lot of it...

I think, is the thought that, “Hey, these guys are training for millions of dollars. They couldn’t possibly do something stupid like get caught doing marijuana close enough to the biggest payday of their lives, could they?”

I mean, really? You couldn’t cut it out for a few months?

The difference between a few picks is millions of dollars guaranteed. The difference between the first and second round is HUGE.

Why would he be so stupid as to do it that close to the combine where he knew, he absolutely knew they would be testing?

Visit:
http://www.vikingvigil.com

Skol Vikings!
Woot Woot!

by Manimal on Apr 22, 2009 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

exactly

I think most people realize marijuana isn’t the worst thing in the world but it’s still illegal and they test for it. If he’s stupid enough to do that what else is he stupid enough to do.

Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?

by halfchest on Apr 22, 2009 10:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why?

Because they’re stupid kids that’s why. It’s also all they know and all they’ve grown up around for a lot of their lives, so they don’t any better.

I mean, hell, why would a Pro-Bowl QB with a $100M contract and another $100M in promotional incentives get busted for running a dog fighting ring? I mean, shit, that would NEVER happen…

Oh….wait….

"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller

by fourstick on Apr 22, 2009 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

People are stupid...

That’s for sure. I just can’t imagine Harvin’s parents, agent, coaches, heck, everyone saying,

“Alright, Percy, just settle down on the wild stuff for a bit. Combine is coming up, and they drug test. Do you know what a drug test is, Percy? You do? Now, are you sure. You are? No, Percy, it’s not to test how potent the marijuana is, it’s to test if you have been taking it…Yes, Percy, they can do that. No, I’m not messing around. It’s true. Yes, it is. Yes, Percy, they can do that. Percy…Percy…stop laughing…it’s true. They will test you. You get it? Good.”

I’m sure, right after they, he went and smoked the proverbial bowl.

Gah, idiots.

Visit:
http://www.vikingvigil.com

Skol Vikings!
Woot Woot!

by Manimal on Apr 23, 2009 8:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gonzo, you need to start watching the NFL replays on NFL network. The past few weeks they have played Vikings games (I’ve seen the Saints and 1st Chicago games recently) and after watching them, I am thinking people who say things like “the is no creativity in the play calling or the play calling is bland” aren’t actually watching the games and are just running mouth based on their dislike of the coach. The Vikings ran plenty of screens and reverses, but the plays didn’t produce. IMO they didn’t produce because there is only one guy who is any good at running them and he isn’t on the field all the time (Chester). There are a few guys who have speed, like Berrian or Allison, but elusive is not a word I would use to describe them. Harvin, however, is very elusive and (in college) turned screens and reverses into game breaking plays. The Vikings also motion the slot receiver alot, maining when its Wade playing, but Wade is another guy who isn’t necessarily elusive.

I have seen the “guy in a bar” analogy a few times on the site and I am going to try and relate to the argument that you are using to not draft Harvin:
You go into a bar, and there are lots of women. Some, you clearly have no chance at and some aren’t worth your time. Then you notice a hottie across the way. She isn’t the top talent in the room, but she is damn fine (possibly out of your league) and all alone except for the drink in her hand. Instead of gaining some courage, going up and talking to her, you start convincing yourself that it isn’t worth it. “She’ll just say no, shes out of my league, she probably has a boyfriend, etc”. While your wasting time putting yourself down, someone else gets the courage to go talk to her and you are left feeling sorry for yourself because you had a chance and you talked yourself out of it.

by vikingfuture8816 on Apr 21, 2009 9:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry guy...

But I watched every game last year, and we ran way less screens and reverses than almost everyone else in the league. The 2 yard swing pass to Tafi doesn’t count as a “screen.” The bubble screen to a guy like Wade doesn’t count either.

You also mentioned yourself that most of the time these plays were run, the guy most equipped to run them (Chester) was not on the field. Whose fault is that? You can’t have it both ways. You’re defending the Head Coach by saying he has all the wrong personnel on the field to run his playcalls? That actually sums up Chili to a T, doesn’t it?

"I'm gonna make you cry...I'm gonna make you cry and dip my cookie in your tears!!!"

by mutleyil on Apr 21, 2009 11:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not really defending the coach so much as saying people are talking without actually looking at the numbers. I think Chester is the best at it, doesn’t mean others can’t do it. And I am not counting passes that aren’t screens (like swing passes to the FB) as screens. I know what a screen is and how does a bubble screen to a WR “not count”? Its a screen pass. Its even in the name: “bubble screen”.
Where are you getting your numbers to back up your notion that the Vikings run “way less screens and reverses than almost everyone else”? Since I haven’t found a site that breaks it down play by play, can’t just look at passes to RBs or WR and determine which are screens, but it is safe to assume any rushing attempt by a WR is a reverse and not a rush up the middle with them lined in the back field, right? Going off of that and sticking to teams in the NFC North it breaks down like this: Chicago had 6 rushes by a WR (all Hester), Detroit 3 (all Calvin), Green Bay 2 (all Driver), and Vikings 5 (4 for Berrian, 1 Allison). So just in the NFC North the Vikings had the 2nd most runs by WRs, 1 less than Chicago. I got these numbers from NFL.com’s player stats pages. So just in the NFC North by itself your statement doesn’t hold up.
And you just show what I am talking about. I said In My Opinion, Chester is the best at running them because he is the most elusive. You took that and turned it into, Chilly doesn’t put the right guys on the field.
If they didn’t run those plays to other guys, then defenses wouldn’t have to think about guys like Berrian or Wade running them and it becomes more predictable. The Vikings do however, run those plays to multiple guys so defenses do have to worry about where the ball is going. My point, again, was getting a guy who is elusive and a play maker would add a lot to the offense and Harvin fits that mold.

by vikingfuture8816 on Apr 22, 2009 3:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

was watching the Bears/Vikings game

and I thought I saw a reverse. To Peterson!?!? Maybe I was just having a dream. Maybe I got the player wrong. But I could’ve sworn it was Peterson lined up as a WR, then used on a reverse

by PurplePeopleEaters09 on Apr 22, 2009 2:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

I look at it this way:

In our current slot package, Wade is the slot guy. I like Bobby, but he’s not particularly fast or elusive, which means you can cover him with a linebacker or a safety and not have to worry about getting burnt too badly. Sure, you may give up a first down or two, but you don’t have to worry about him taking it to the house. So you can’t get a team out of it’s base defense when you go to a 3 WR set, which means that you now have one less blocker but nearly the same number of guys withing 5 yards of the LOS to stop the running game.

Now, if you put Harvin in the slot, the other team is probably going to have to cover him with a safety if it wants to stay in it’s base defense, or at least roll a safety that direction, which means two things:

They can’t bracket the field with two deep coverage as well, so if Berrian is on the other side he may have a free run against zone coverage or a man-to-man corner because one safety is all that is left deep.
If they cover him with a linebacker, there’s always the worry that he catches a bubble screen and turns it into a 60 yard TD. Or that he beats the linebacker deep by running by him and catching a TD pass. If Tim Tebow could actually hit Harvin in stride with a pass once in his life, he probably scores 10-15 more TD’s last year.

Now, if a team decides to go nickel to counter Harvin in the slot, we’ve gotten exactly what we wanted all along: Less people in the box to stop ADP. Add to that the motion reverse options out of that formation and the offense just got a lot more flexible, and it’s now able to stretch the field side to side and vertically enough that you can’t just put 8 guys in the box and stuff the run.

On the snarkier side of things, Harvin has also dealt with a horribly inaccurate passer for a QB that last couple of years. His highlight reel includes some amazing catches in which he was severely underthrown or the ball was thrown 5 feet behind him. In this way, he’s already adept at adjusting to shitty QB play, something of which we have an abundance of in Minnesota.

"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller

by fourstick on Apr 22, 2009 5:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Huh?

The Vikings offense is super-bland. The problem is that Childress has had so little creativity in play selection that opposing D’s are stacking the line of scrimmage. Even when he does try a reverse or screen now and then it’s running into a wall. He needs much more play-action passing, misdirection, screens, deep throws, QB rollouts, screens, etc., just to keep the defense honest. He’s even taken away the effectiveness of the vike’s biggest threat…AP. Peterson may get 100 yards, but it’s usually on a couple 35-45 yard carries. The rest of his attempts are one or two yards because the defense is playing so many guys up. I think Childress has also failed to utilize TJack’s abilities with his conservative play calling. Open it up! Allow TJack to make some mistakes, but give him the space to show what he can really do, too. I think Childress has really undercut Jackson’s confidence and failed to use his considerable athletic ability. Jackson plays like he’s afraid to make a mistake. Hey, if Brett Favre had to play like that when he was young we’d probably never remember his name now. Favre made a LOT of mistakes, but he was also allowed to make some big plays, too.

Play to WIN….not to NOT LOSE.

by Qcrow on May 1, 2009 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I agree with what you said Gonzo but I mean steve smiths a little guy and he lines up outside often :)

I agree about the coaching to a unique playmaker like Harvin who has lots of talent might not be best suited for guys like Childress who’s offense is pretty cut and dry and simple. But that could also be a reason for adding him sure we get people excited

by Zoxide on Apr 21, 2009 10:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well the weed thing it is illegal sadly and its associated with being lazy and a guy thats smoking before the NFL draft shows he isn’t to bright either

by Zoxide on Apr 21, 2009 10:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

And that being acknowledged, is that a reason not to give a major talent a chance to straighten up? No. Once upon a time, real coaches (e.g. Grant, Lombardi) used to mentor these very young men and it was never expected that everyone show up to camp bright and shiney and perfect. Only that they show up, and they bring their A-game.

by DCPurple on Apr 22, 2009 6:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am pretty conservative

but I am not going to trash the kid (Harvin) as being a pot head or was he just a social “potty” who made a stupid mistake? He doesn’t strike me as the former. My gosh, I was watching an interview way back and these old NFL’ers were talking about how guys were playing drunk and carrying flasks on the sidelines. It wasn’t to just keep warm during cold games either. Folks were giggling over the comments. I found it more outragious than a kid (and that’s what these early entry kids are, still kids) I would gamble to say it took some of us a little growing up when we made similar choices.
Does it warrent a team questioning a kid. Sure! Let them know if we draft you we will have a no tolorance clause with hefty fines. If the agent starts fighting it on behalf of the player, pass the word to other teams, let the players stock fall along with his contract and the greedy agents commission.

by CitrusFLViking on Apr 22, 2009 8:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Breaking the Law

It’s really very simple; it can’t be countenanced. And if teams are doing the wink-wink-nod-nod at players who are doing it, then they’re part of the problem. It isn’t a question of how ‘bad’ smoking pot is, it’s a question of breaking the freaking law, knowingly, deliberately, stupidly, on a regular basis. Someone who does that can’t be trusted to obey any mere rule that a team might have.

I place most of the blame here on the HCs who tolerate it, who fail to take in hand a young man and teach him some solid bearings and values, and I think it’s their job to do both. If they don’t, those guys aren’t ‘coaches’, they’re ‘managers’.

by DCPurple on Apr 23, 2009 7:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Florio, from PFT, made a good post on this that really hit the nail on the head. I’ll sum it up. Basically, he says teams don’t care if a player smokes pot. They know that plenty of players do it, and as long as its not affecting their game, they’re fine with it. What they’re not fine with is the player getting caught doing it. If the player is unable to test negative for a test they KNOW is coming, then they probably won’t test negative for a random test they’ll recieve later on. Which means supsensions, and the team not getting as much for the player as they otherwise would.

by Frost on Apr 22, 2009 9:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bingo! +2

Harvin should have been smarter. If he is smart, he’ll learn his lesson.

by CitrusFLViking on Apr 22, 2009 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Game Changer

This team with Adrian Peterson in the backfield along with Percy Harvin lining up at different positions would be EXPLOSIVE. The guy is too talented to pass up. Remember what the 98 Vikes did with a playoff team adding Randy Moss to it. Think of the possibilities.

by purplegrey on Apr 21, 2009 10:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The problem with this is two-fold...

1) Randy Moss was a freakish receiving talent (hence “The Freak”) that could excel in any system no matter how much weed he smoked. Percy Harvin is a smallish, weakish, Florida system product that will in no way translate to the NFL. Devin Hester is his upside, and that is a sad return on a 1st round pick.

2) Based on the way The Chiller uses AD, there is no reason to think he would Harvin in any creative way. He would line him up on the outside to run endless Go routes as a “decoy” all the time.

Now if you want to talk about Jeremy Maclin…I think there is A LOT to like there. Great speed, route-running, and hands all in one package. He talent is Chiller-proof…much like AD…he’ll make plays despite what the dart-throwing monkey coach might call. Too bad he probably won’t reach us.

"I'm gonna make you cry...I'm gonna make you cry and dip my cookie in your tears!!!"

by mutleyil on Apr 21, 2009 10:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I totally disagree with everything you just said.

Devin Hester is his upside, and that is a sad return on a 1st round pick.

Totally disagree. Hester was a defensive back in college that occasionally played on offense and returned kicks. He’s not all that elusive unless he’s in the wide open field and he’s not going to run anyone over. He doesn’t have great hands. Harvin has great hands, is elusive in tight spaces (just look at the national title game even at 80% healthy), and I could totally see him lowering the boom on a safety or corner. He’s also taller than Hester, which makes a huge difference, when you consider that he’s nearly as fast in terms of “football speed”, which is not running the 40 yard dash in a straight line. You can hand Harvin the ball in the backfield on a draw play or throw it to him on a screen pass — I’ve never seen Devin Hester used that way.

Now if you want to talk about Jeremy Maclin…I think there is A LOT to like there. Great speed, route-running, and hands all in one package. He talent is Chiller-proof…much like AD…he’ll make plays despite what the dart-throwing monkey coach might call. Too bad he probably won’t reach us.

Great route runner? I take it you didn’t watch much of Missouri this year. Considering that every throw is a pre-snap read, it doesn’t take much “route-running” to get open in that offense. He’s fast and makes plays, but he’s more of a comparison to Devin Hester than Harvin is: small, fast, not so elusive in making people miss, relies on his speed.

Considering our lack of QB play, I’d rather have a guy who can take a swing pass or screen pass 40 yards than a guy who can get open 25 yards downfield only to have Tarvaris throw a 3 hopper to him. There isn’t a wide receiver ALIVE who isn’t susceptible to poor QB play, not even Randy Moss. He may be a freak, but he had nobody to throw it to him in Oakland and look what happened. Then he went to New England, met up with a QB who throws a great deep ball, and PRESTO! league records are set. It’s not a coincidence.

"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller

by fourstick on Apr 22, 2009 5:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Guess we disagree...

Maclin is 6’ 1" and 205…which is at least 2 inches and 10 pounds bigger than anything I’ve seen Harvin listed at. If you think Maclin is “small,” then Harvin must be outright diminutive. I catch Mizzou and Florida a few times a year, and was always far more impressed with Maclin’s overall ability as a receiver, but like I said that’s just my opinion.

I am also convinced that Chilli does not have the capacity to use a guy like Harvin effectively on regular basis. Maclin would be far more likely to beome a consistent contributor in our…ahem…“conservative” offense. I have several other adjectives to describe the KAO, but this is the least profane.

We’ll probably disagreeing over nothing anyway. Maclin will be long gone by the time we pick, and Percy smoked away his chance for us to take him.

"I'm gonna make you cry...I'm gonna make you cry and dip my cookie in your tears!!!"

by mutleyil on Apr 23, 2009 2:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Vikingfuture

Wrong example….this is not a date or prom..this is a draft….. Harvin is very talented…could be another moss…but odds are he will not be….So do we take the chance ??…NOT…WE TAKE THE SUPPOSEDLY SURE THING AND SURE UP THE LINE !!!!! Wake up

by WVVikings on Apr 22, 2009 2:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Dude, its an analogy. The draft is just like finding a date. There are tons of options and you are trying to find the right one. But I guess that isn’t how you find dates in West Virginia ;)
Every pick is taking a chance on a guy. No one knows what any of these guys are going to do once they get into the NFL. It only seems like a “sure thing” because its what you want the team to do. I simply hope they take the BPA, not just take a lineman to take a lineman. There is plenty of lineman talent throughout the draft and I guarantee the Vikings make some trades and move around to get the guys they want.

by vikingfuture8816 on Apr 22, 2009 3:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey Future

Hope things are well and u r excited as I am about the draft. I appreciate your comments but a couple of your good arguments are things I had mentioned as being examples of, what are the coaches seeing on film? First, the 2 games you mentioned were the only 2 that came to my mind when thinking of what good play calling in games the Vikings when I would questioning successful play calling with ingenuity vs. the bread and butter crap. Why were’nt we seeing this and putting it into our game plan more often.
Second, your thoughts on Taylor. I don’t agree with spreading the wealth in the name of deception. Taylor in the same backfield more often would make it enough while taking some focus away from the recievers. The point is to make your opposing defense be thinking. Aside from the games you mentioned it didn’t take this dumb old coach much call 60-70% of what the Vikings were going to do.
The Vikes fans at the place we catch the games at down here would laugh at how easy it was. Just mix things up a little. Use the duel threat more, run more counters and draws. Put Chester and Adrian back there together more. Then fall back and pass around an unsuspecting secondary or hit one of those great backs as an out let

by CitrusFLViking on Apr 22, 2009 8:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What up Citrus

Things are good and Saturday can’t get here fast enough. I certainly can’t speak for the coaches, so I don’t know what they in particular are seeing on film. The intention of my original comments was that saying “the play calling sucks” or you don’t like the coach isn’t a reason to not take a versatile play maker. The Vikings clearly run plays that a guy like Harvin would excel at and it seems the reason most people tout the “uncreative” or “bland” play calling is simply because they don’t like the coach. I only mention those two games because those are the ones I’ve seen recently, but I would bet money that if went back and watched all the games, you would see plenty of 3 WRs sets, trick plays (halfback pass anyone?), and screens/reverses, so its isn’t as bad as some amke it out to be.
I have stated several times on both fanposts and in comments that I am not 100% satisfied with how the offense is run (Would love, LOVE to see Peterson and Taylor in the backfield at the same time) and that Childress should give up the OC part of his HC/OC title and simply delegate and finalize decisions. I am not, however, going to have an aneurysm or start giving coaches and player dumb nicknames to justify my position. Keep wining double digit games, the division, and getting into the playoffs and I’ll be happy for the most part.
You might not agree with spreading the ball in the name of deception, but it is a good tool to help keep defenses on their toes and keeping them thinking about where the ball could go. Now when you say they knew what the Vikings were going to do, where the simply guessing run/pass or X Slant, Y Read 26 Dive?Guessing Run/Pass you have a 50% chance of being right and that increases depending on the situation. For instance, what are the Vikings going to do on 2nd and 14? 2nd and 3? 3rd and inches? You could do that for every team in the league and be right most of the time. And if you want to start a petition for Peterson and Taylor being on the field at the same time, I will sign it.

by vikingfuture8816 on Apr 22, 2009 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no.22 is a lousy spot

I think part of the problem for all Vikes fans right now is that no.22, in this years draft, is a crappy spot to be in. Especially with all of the OTs available…its confusing. Then you throw out the Harvins of the world…what with the bong token’n stuff…& it becomes maddening. Harvin is too small to be another Randy Moss. hes just not “freakish” enough. Picking an OT…especially Britton is, well…..boring. 22 is a lousy spot to be in & as Gonzo pointed out, and I agree, I think Harvin is a unique talent. Not a dominating one. Childress & his wonder dog, Bevell, would have to be creative & frankly, they’re not very creative at all. With Birk out of the line up now, & Cook being unreliable at best we need to stick with our strength & improve our O-Line while we have a chance. Peterson appears to be the only hope. Espcially when you look at our QB situation.

by Viking64 on Apr 22, 2009 7:48 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Agree

I hate #22. If I had to bet on who the Vikes might take or who will fall to them I wouldn’t put a lot of money down. With premier OT’s off the board do we try to move up from the 2nd pick? Is Unger a good pick at #2 with his size and versitility? Which WR do we really think wil be the best fit for us? I still like Nicks but, Harvin brings some things to the table as well as the dude from Rutgers (forgot name) that Kiper thinks we’ll take, or do we grab the big tackle to shore us up in case of suspensions and eventually replace an aging Pat Williams?

by CitrusFLViking on Apr 22, 2009 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who cares if Britton is boring? I don’t want my OT to make the game exciting, because that means he’s letting my QB get sacked. I’ll take the OT that just does his job and keeps D-Linemen and LBs away from the QB. Boring though the pick may be, it would still be a solid pick. He’s expected to have a solid NFL career as a RT, and that’s something we need.

by Frost on Apr 22, 2009 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's better than going in the top 10

Of such a mediocre draft. No matter who we get at #22, at least we won’t have to pay him $30 million guaranteed like the Lions will have to pay whoever they pick.

by ericj69 on Apr 22, 2009 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As attractive as Percy Harvin is,

I’d say you’re absolutely right, Gonzo.

by skiumah06 on Apr 22, 2009 9:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Harvin

Might well be a Reggie Buch type of player in this league. He won’t get the opportunity if he were with the Vikes because we have 2 running backs taking all the carries. The team needs a true WR, and not a #3 guy which is what Harvin will be. Likely for his whole career.

The pot smoking thing tells you a couple things about the guy. 1. He has no respect for the rules of the game. 2. He probably won’t be able to stop himself from getting caught again. The last thing this team needs is another player getting suspended.

Get the best OT you can with your first pick and be glad when the right side of our O-line doesn’t collapse every play like last year.

by NYCVike on Apr 22, 2009 10:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Bush like

I’ve been saying I think Harvin could be a Reggie Bush like talent for awhile now. A lot of people look down on Bush but that’s because he was taken so high in the draft. To get a guy with that type of return at 22 is great though. Taylor will be gone in a year and a pass catching guy like Harvin would be the perfect complement to AD. Talent wise I think Harvin is definitely worth the normal NFL risks (injury/not panning out). That being said when you add up his high possibility of being a bust/ being injury prone with the marijuana suspension risks, I don’t know that he should be taken so early.

I just hope the Vikes take best player available while obviously weighing some need. A linebacker wouldn’t make a ton of sense. Whoever we take it will likely be a help us now guy and not a project because as others have pointed out, Chilly’s job is on the line. He at the very least needs to make the playoffs again and possibly even win at least one while he’s there. If it weren’t for this I’d say the Vikes should look at Jeria Perry if he’s still there (some project him to go to Lions at 20 I believe). Great move to shore up the line at the beginning of the year when the Williiams wall is out. He could rotate in as needed to give phat pat a break and could be the eventual replacement for phat pat. However, a current need is OL/WR/CB and I believe we’ll draft BPA of those three positions.

Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?

by halfchest on Apr 22, 2009 10:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Paul Allen’s stated several times that the Vikings like what Harvin can bring on the field. He’s said Harvin’s their 3rd ranked WR, and was fairly high on their board. This was before the ganja/character/intelligence questions arose. This would suggest A) the Vikings like Harvin’s play B) they think they could utilize him, and C) the durability issues maybe aren’t that much of a concern for them.

Now, I don’t know if PA is THAT plugged in to this stuff, so maybe that’s not fully accurate. But he does talk to the right people. So if there’s some truth to this, maybe the team doesn’t necessarily feel Harvin would be a poor fit (again, leaving aside the recent rumors).

by jianfu on Apr 22, 2009 12:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Of course, now official word comes out that Harvin indeed tested positive, and worse, he’s the only high profile prosect to do so (apparently Raji and Vontae Davis were clean; the next biggest name to show up was UNC WR Brandon Tate, and there were less the 12 prospects overall to test positive).

espn.com

Hell. At this rate Harvin might be an option in the 2nd…

by jianfu on Apr 22, 2009 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Take Percy

Harvins what we need, another explosive guy, who will take pressure off Adrian and Chester. If he could return kicks, that would be awesome, but we could use him in many different ways. The pot thing is only saving us money. Hell, maybe we could make him a 3rd down back, and really let Chester and AD split the load. They would both be fresher at play-off time. Look for the tackle in the later rounds, and Cook won’t false start when he’s snapping the ball.

by Duluth Viking on Apr 22, 2009 12:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Gahh

Call me Ron Burgundy, because this is hard! We are in a pickle!

Is it just me, or does Saturday’s draft seem like the biggest crapshoot in the history of this annual organized crapshoot? There are exactly zero “sure things” in this year’s draft, and there will be 21 less “good bets” available by the time we pick.

As for Harvin, I am sad to say Gonzo is pretty much right on about him. He could be great, but if the Vikings draft him the chances of that happening are less with the current regime.

by ericj69 on Apr 22, 2009 4:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hold the Pickles

How’s Adrian’s collar bone? Nobody asks anymore. When 21 players have been selected, take whomever seems the best buy. Don’t rely on some blog with false drug test info or what your aunt thinks of pro football to make up your mind. Professionals find out the truth. If we’ve done our homework, test day should go well. What impression did Harvin make in the interview? Anyone playing for Florida gets photographed. Moss played for Marshall. Trouble? Life is trouble. (Zorba the Greek— not Jimmy the Greek.) Pickle? Nope. It’s not just this year or drafting #22. There never is anything such as a sure thing. The Browns once traded up and drafted Ernie Davis. You can only control the things you have control over. Lombardi was not a creative coach. You knew he was running the power sweep, and that knowledge did you no good in the hospital. Think that’s strictly historical data? Look at who’s running the wildcat offense these days. Do what works. It usually takes three years to find out the truth about a draft result, but writers will give out the team draft grades immediately, if not sooner. If they really knew who’s the best now, why aren’t they the pro GM’s? If they don’t know, how will you? Put down that crystal ball. Meet with the spies, the computer geeks, and the old coaches. If it’s still so close it can’t be decided, it probably won’t matter that much. You’re either too stupid, or the gods will make the key decisions anyway.

by Elgar on Apr 22, 2009 6:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Gabby Johnson is right!

As they said in Blazing Saddles, now who can argue with that? You make a lot of good points in between all your rhetorical questions and random facts, but all I was saying is that

I think Harvin’s talents would be underutilized with the Vikings;
Nobody really stands out in this year’s draft.

The draft is, was, and always will be the world’s most glorified guessing game. None of us really no what we’re talking about, but all of us love sharing our two cents—which is pretty much the purpose of this and all the other SB Nation blogs. That’s all.

By the way, if you’ve ever seen Blazing Saddles, you should really watch the 1-minute video I linked to. One of my favorite comedies ever.

by ericj69 on Apr 22, 2009 6:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Blazing Saddles...

What a classic. I have a copy on DVD and am now introducing the movie to much younger co-workers who haven’t heard of or seen it. They are instant converts after doing so.

by purplegrey on Apr 23, 2009 9:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The false drug test was true in Harvin’s case. He tested positive.

And I’m not sold on the Wildcat. It didn’t help Miami in the playoffs. In fact, it didn’t really help any team who used it. Sure, it gave the occasional highlight play, but mostly it was over and done with in the NE game. That was the height of its effectiveness.

by Frost on Apr 23, 2009 8:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs