Vikings Not Likely to Participate in the Supplemental Draft

Today, the National Football League will hold their annual Supplemental Draft.  For those of you who don't know quite how the Supplemental Draft works, it is for players that have been declared ineligible in some way for the upcoming college football season and have chosen to leave school and try their luck with the National Football League.  Those reasons may be academic, they may have to do with rules violations, or for numerous other things.

Every General Manager in the NFL will send an e-mail to the NFL's league office with the eight players that are eligible for this year's Supplemental Draft and what round pick they'd like to "bid" for each player, if they'd like to offer anything at all.  When it comes to establishing priority, the 2009 NFL Draft order will be used.  So if, for example, the Detroit Lions and the Vikings offer a fifth-round pick for a particular player, the Lions would be awarded that player since their fifth-round pick in the 2009 Draft was higher than Minnesota's.  In turn, the Lions would then forfeit their fifth-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft.

There are eight players eligible for this year's Supplemental Draft, but the Vikings are seen as unlikely to make an effort to acquire any of them.  After the jump, there's a brief look at each of these players, to include what round they're projected to be taken in and why they're eligible for the Supplemental Draft.

Jeremy Jarmon, DE, Kentucky - Entered the Supplemental Draft due to a failed drug test.  Honorable mention for the All-SEC team this past season.  Outstanding sophomore year, but fell off a bit as a junior.  Projected to fetch a fourth-round pick.

Deon Murphy, WR, Kansas State - Dismissed from the Wildcats' program a few months ago.  Not a big guy, only standing at 5'9" and weighing in at 170 pounds, but is a very good open field runner.  Could go somewhere in the fifth or sixth round range.

Corey Surrency, WR, Florida State - A very tall target (6'4", 205), at this point Surrency is a better athlete than a wide receiver.  Surrency lost his college eligibility after it was found that he played two years of semi-professional indoor football after he turned 21 but before he enrolled at Florida State.  Will probably end up in the fifth or sixth round range as well.

Joe McMahon, G, Central Michigan - Big, mauler type of guard that doesn't possess a lot of athleticism.  Left school for "undisclosed personal reasons," which may or may not send up a red flag, I suppose.  Not expected to be drafted today.

McKinner Dixon, DE, Texas Tech - Dixon joined the Supplemental Draft after becoming academically ineligible for the 2009 season.  He was pretty much a backup in 2008, and while he has some pass-rush ability, he's non-existent against the run.  Not expected to be drafted today.

Demetrice Morley, S, Tennessee - The good news on Morley is that he's a very athletic safety.  The bad news is that he was kicked off the Volunteers' team by two different coaches, had an academic suspension, and a 2008 arrest in Florida for armed robbery.  Some team might gamble a seventh-round pick on him, but I'd be shocked by anything higher than that.

Blake Boyd, LB, Western Kentucky - Classic overachiever. . .sort of a Heath Farwell-type.  Academic issues have caused him to leave the Hilltoppers.  Not expected to be drafted, but should get a camp invite as a special teamer type of addition.

Torris Magee, WR, Southern Miss - Got kicked off of the Golden Eagles' team after a burglary arrest.  Fairly athletic receiver, and has good size (6'2", 215), but only average speed and fairly inconsistent hands mean that it's unlikely someone will burn a pick on him with the character issues he brings to the table.

I hope this has given everybody a bit of insight on the Supplemental Draft process and some of the names that are available.  While the Vikings don't appear to be actively involved in this year's proceedings, it remains to be seen if any of the other NFC North teams will jump in or not.