Talk about the second day of the draft here, folks!
I'll be updating with the Vikings' picks as we go along here. Feel free to add any other comments you might have.
Update [2007-4-29 11:21:9 by Gonzo]:
The Vikings have traded up to the third pick of the fourth round (#102 overall). More particulars when we have them.
Update [2007-4-29 11:21:9 by Gonzo]:
With the 102nd pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Vikings select. . .Brian Robison, DE, Texas.
Good pick by the Vikings! If you remember back to the SBN Mock draft, Robison is one of the guys I was looking at in the third round. Worst case, he steps in as a special teams guy and a situational pass-rusher.
The Vikings apparently gave up their first 4th rounder (#106) and their 6th rounder to move up. They still have another 4th round pick at #121.
Update [2007-4-29 11:35:11 by Gonzo]:
The Patriots have apparently sent the 110th overall pick in the draft to Oakland in exchange for WR Randy Moss.
Good. . .that means he a) stays in the AFC and, by definition, b) doesn't go to Green Bay.
Apparently Moss would restructure his contract to go to New England, but not to Green Bay. Can't say that I blame him. . .I wouldn't want to play with Brett Favre's gigantic, overrated ego either.
Nice to see that even though he isn't a Viking any more, Randy found a way to kick the Packers in the junk one last time.
Update [2007-4-29 11:55:25 by Gonzo]:
Hey, you know what the Green Bay Packers and Roberto Duran have in common?
NO MOSS!! NO MOSS!!
Thank you, I'll be here all day.
Update [2007-4-29 12:24:46 by Gonzo]:
With the 121st pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Vikings select. . .nobody, because they've traded down again, this time with Denver.
We'll have the particulars of the trade when they've given on TV.
Update [2007-4-29 12:24:46 by Gonzo]:
Apparently the Vikings got picks #176, #233, and Denver's 2008 3rd round pick in exchange for pick #121, which the Broncos used to select Florida DT Marcus Thomas.
Wow. . .don't know what to say about that. The 2008 3rd would be nice, if it's true. Of course, I can't confirm one way or the other. . .neither ESPN or NFL Network has mentioned the trade since it happened. They'd much rather talk about Brady "future colossal flop" Quinn and Randy Moss than what's actually happening at the draft.
Update [2007-4-29 13:20:25 by Gonzo]:
You know, I think I've found my new dream job. I want to be a college scout for the Washington Redskins. Think about it. . .make 6 figures, and since the Redskins trade away all their picks every year, you really don't have to do a hell of a lot.
I'd say college scout for the Vikings, but that would probably involve. . .you know. . .work.
Update [2007-4-29 13:20:25 by Gonzo]:
With the 146th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Vikings select. . .Aundrae Allison, WR, East Carolina.
Another good pick by the Vikings. Small school guy with big time talent. AND we got him after trading down and getting more picks.
Man, the Vikings are running this draft well so far.
Update [2007-4-29 13:25:22 by Gonzo]:
The Vikings have selected 5 players through the first 5 rounds. All 5 of them appeared in the 2007 SBNation Mock Draft.
If you'll recall, the SBNation Mock Draft was only 3 rounds long.
But, thus far, we've drafted one guy that appeared in Round 1 of the SBNation Mock Draft (Adrian Peterson), three guys that appeared in Round 2 (Sidney Rice, Marcus McCauley, Aundrae Allison), and one guy that appeared in Round 3 (Brian Robison).
Man, this draft has been awesome.
Update [2007-4-29 14:16:51 by Gonzo]:
Heading out to run an errand or two that I've neglected so far this weekend. Back in an hour or so, hopefully.
Update [2007-4-29 16:15:54 by Gonzo]:
With the 176th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Vikings select. . .Rufus Alexander, LB, Oklahoma.
Yet another guy that went in the second round of the 2007 SBNation Mock Draft. . .and we got him in the 6th. The awesomeness continues!
Update [2007-4-29 16:43:44 by Gonzo]:
With the 217th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Vikings select. . .Tyler Thigpen, QB, Coastal Carolina.
Okay. . .went a little bit off the board for this one. So far off the board, in fact, that I can honestly say that I don't know a darn thing about this guy. I'll see what I can dig up.
Update [2007-4-29 16:43:44 by Gonzo]:
Here's something I found on Tyler Thigpen in a post on the Purple Thoughts board:
An exciting dual-threat, small-school QB, who is really rising up the charts. Named to the Walter Payton watch list in the preseason and finished 7th in the final voting for the award given annually to the best player in Division IAA. Received plenty of all-American recognition after producing an outstanding 167.4 efficiency reating in 2006. Showed marked improvement his senior season. Has been a leader since the Chants instituted football. Did not even play QB his senior year in high school, and that is why Coastal was the only school to recruit him as a QB.
Strengths
Good size, strong and fast. Smart, efficient and very mobile. Makes all the throws. Knows when to pull it down and run. Has gotten much, much better at game management and has improved every year. Has a big league arm, and throws a very nice, catchable ball. Feels pressure and knows how to avoid it. Throws well on the run--something he has worked hard to improve upon. Can fill in as an emergency P and PK.
Weaknesses
Not quite as big as you would like. Needs to show more touch at times. Not the most accurate passer around, but played his best (and was at his most accurate) in the biggest games. Collar bone injury needs to be fully checked out.
Projection
Hard to say because Coastal Carolina is such a relative unknown, but he is very, very good...perhaps the best pro QB prospect in IAA football and should be drafted late or be an early UDFA phone call.
Well, considering that it took us all the way to the 7th round to make anything that could even remotely be considered a "bad" pick, I'll take it.
Update [2007-4-29 17:18:46 by Gonzo]:
With their final pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the 233rd pick overall, the Vikings select. . .Chandler Williams, WR, Florida International.
Again, a little ways off the board for this one. Looks like he might have some potential as a return guy, but I'm not sure how much of a contributor he'll be.
Thanks to everybody that came to the site over the past couple of days to get your Vikings draft coverage! I've had a lot of fun giving you the news on the Vikings' picks, and I hope you'll keep coming back as we enter a bit of a dark stage of the off-season before we hit Training Camp.