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So, How'd We Do, Anyway?

By Christopher Gates

We did a whole lot better than this guy, that's for sure.

Well, seriously, let me tell you how we did.  I'll actually start with our third round pick, Fresno State CB Marcus McCauley.

Here's what the Sporting News had to say about McCauley:

The Vikings, desperate for help at cornerback, nabbed McCauley, who has first-round talent but struggled through a terrible senior season that knocked him way down draft boards. If the Vikings can figure out how to get the McCauley from his junior season, then they got not only a great steal, but the best cornerback in the entire draft.

And NFL Draft Countdown:

Has prototypical size...Timed speed is outstanding...Athletic and quick with fluid hips and a great burst...Physical and aggressive...A playmaker with pretty good ball skills...Has great body control, leaping ability and timing...Good tackler who will support versus the run...Has superb instincts for the game...A hard worker with good intangibles...Is able to play and excel in either man or zone coverage.

Weaknesses:
His technique and footwork can be inconsistent...Will gamble and take too many risks...Hands are questionable and he will drop some interceptions...Needs to get a little stronger...Was not really thrown at a lot in college...Has trouble locating the ball...Struggled mightily at times in 2006 and didn't have a great senior year.

Notes:
A better prospect than Richard Marshall (a 2nd round pick) was a year ago and he had a great rookie season for the Carolina Panthers...Really has all of the physical tools you look for in a top cornerback and should be able to step in and start very early on...The type of lockdown corner that every team is constantly searching for.

Hey. . .sounds pretty good to me!  We got a guy that could potentially be the best CB in this draft with the 72nd pick of the draft.  With Leslie Frazier being on board as the Vikings' new DC (and, from what BigBlueShoe has said about him, he's an outstanding secondary coach), I have no reason not to believe that McCauley is going to develop into an outstanding corner for us.  Heck, he might be able to step in as the nickel guy right away.

Now, let's move farther back. . .to our second round pick, South Carolina WR Sidney Rice.

Again, we turn to NFL Draft Countdown:

Strengths:
Has excellent size with long arms and a rangy frame...Outstanding ball skills...A smooth natural athlete...Excellent leaper who high points the ball...Has big, soft, and very reliable hands...Terrific body control...Plays faster than he times...Tracks the ball well and has great hand / eye coordination...A terror in the red zone...Will make the spectacular catch...Able to separate and is a great vertical threat...Was extremely productive and pretty dominant in the SEC...Still has a ton of potential.

Weaknesses:
Doesn't have a lot of experience...Still very raw and needs to work on mastering the nuances of the position...Timed speed is only average...Needs to get stronger and could stand to add some weight...Has to refine his route running...Does not provide much after the catch...Is not real explosive and lacks a burst...Has some durability concerns and battled a number of minor injuries throughout his career.

Notes:
Was also a very good basketball player in high school...Redshirt sophomore who was able to declare for the draft because it had been three years since his high school class graduated...The key word is upside and had he gone back to school for one more year he might have been a Top 5-10 overall pick in 2008...A bit of a project who teams will have to be patient with and develop but he certainly has #1 wideout potential at the next level and could ultimately end up being a steal.

Hmmmmmm. . .so thus far, we have a guy that could be the best at his position in the draft, and a guy that would have been a Top 5-10 pick next year had he stayed in school. . .possibly being the best at his position in that draft, too.

And you know something?  I haven't even gotten to the crown jewel yet.  One of the top 2 offensive playmakers in this year's draft. . .Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma.

To get the proper perspective on this one, let's turn to ESPN.com's John Clayton and his "Winners and Losers" column from after the draft.

2. NFC North: The NFC North is a big loser with Adrian Peterson going to Minnesota. Peterson is angry he was bypassed by six teams, and as Larry Johnson proved over the past two seasons, an angry runner is a dangerous runner. Also, Peterson will be going up against three Cover 2-type defenses. Other than Chris Henry of Arizona, Peterson is the fastest running back in this draft. On the artificial turf in the Metrodome, he will appear to be even faster. Peterson slipped to No. 7 because he's 90 percent healed from a collarbone separation. He doesn't plan to have surgery to insert a plate, but if he does, he's going to be sidelined for only six weeks. Six games against him in the division could be very painful for opponents.

Did you know that there were actually morons out there that thought that Adrian Peterson wasn't going to play this season?  How stupid would you have to be to think that?

Peterson's going to be fine, and he's going to be on the field in Minnesota this fall, and he's going to be great, and he's probably going to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year if he gets enough touches.  What an absolutely great pick. . .a guy with Top 3 talent at the #7 pick in the draft.

So, how'd we do?  We did out-fricking-standing, that's how we did.  How'd the rest of the North fare?  Well, the Lions got Calvin Johnson (which makes me sad, because he's going to be awesome), the Bears got a pretty boy TE that couldn't block my little sister, and the Packers took a DT that sat out most of the 2006 season with a strained uterus or something.

And there's 5 more picks tomorrow, thanks to the extra 4th we got from Atlanta for allowing them to move up 3 spots in the second round.  And I'll go out on a limb and bet that those picks will be outstanding, too.

All in all, I think Viking fans should be very happy with what transpired in New York this afternoon.  I know I sure as heck am.

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