5 rounds into our draft, and we've gone with defense in our last two picks after starting out with three straight offensive picks. So far, our all time draft class is:
1) Adrian Peterson, RB2) Jim Kleinsasser, TE
3) Fran Tarkenton, QB
4) Roy Winston, LB
5) Ed McDaniel, LB
I really thought the McDaniel-Ed Sharockman battle in round five would be a good one, but it was Eddie Mac in a landslide. So I'm not sure what to think about round 6, because I thought we might have a dogfight here as well. But I'm beginning to re-think that, as maybe one player might get more consideration over a couple guys I think are pretty good. But there is a darkhorse candidate that might throw this whole round into chaos.
So let's get to our sixth round options, after the jump.
Joe Senser, 1979, TE: The younger crowd only knows Joe Senser as a radio personality and restaurant owner, and more recently with his wife's legal problems regarding a fatal hit and run accident. But before that, you could make a legitimate argument that had Senser not been hurt and had his career shortened, he was on his way to becoming the best tight end in Vikings history. He was big and fast, had great hands, and quickly became Tommy Kramer's favorite target. He had a good rookie season in 1980, catching 42 passes and 8 TD's, but blossomed in 1981, catching 79 passes and going over 1,000 yards receivng. He also had 7 TD's and and was second team All-NFL. He hurt his knee in 1982 and was never the same, and he was eventually forced to retire in 1984 after a couple of failed comebacks and more injuries. Senser is one of those guys that I'll always wonder 'what if' if he didn't get injured, as he had a really rare combination of size, speed, and pass catching ability.
Steve Bono, 1985, QB: Bono, considered one of the ultimate backup QB's in NFL history, spent his first two years with the Vikings, but spent a majority of his career in San Francisco backing up some guy named Steve Young. Yes, he is better known as being a backup, but when he was given an opportunity to start, he made the most of it, earning Pro Bowl honors when he was with Kansas City in 1995. But that was short lived and he couldn't stay consistent as a starter, and was eventually moved back to the bench and bounced around to several teams. But the 6th round is where you look for guys like Bono--roster depth players that can be occasional starters, so he might be a good move here.
Todd Scott, 1992, FS: Todd Scott was kind of a mystery to me. In his second year, he had an All-Pro season, picking off 5 passes while giving us one of the signature moments in the long history of the Bears-Vikings rivalry. It was the early fourth quarter of this game, and the Bears had dominated the whole contest, taking a 20-0 lead. Bears coach Mike Ditka had told QB Jim Harbaugh to work the clock and run the ball, but Harbugh, deep in his own end, audibled out of the run and called a pass. Scott jumped the route, picked the ball off, and returned it for a TD. It sparked a 21 point 4th quarter for the Vikes, and they ended up winning the game 21-20. Ditka exploded on Harbaugh on the sidelines, and after that the Bears could no right, while the Vikings could do no wrong. it was probably the most dramatic in-game turnaround by the Vikings I can remember. But after that season, Scott just fell off the map, as he only started two more seasons, only picked off two more career passes, and was out of football by 1997.
Andrew Jordan, 1994, TE. Jordan was the consummate backup tight end, and had two stints with the Vikings, three years each at the beginning and end of his career. He was overshadowed by the bigger star power names on offense, but he was a decent option in a two tight end set, and was a decent run blocking TE. He did start for the better part of his first three seasons, but was overtaken by Greg DeLong and then Andrew Glover (no relation to yours truly).
Matt Birk, 1998, C: When Matt Birk was drafted in 1998, it really didn't make a whole lot of sense. The Vikings had an All-Pro center in Jeff Christy, and it seemed that the Vikes took a flyer on Birk almost as much for the fact that he was a home town kid from St. Paul as much as he was drafted for his talent. Yet one more reason to prove that I have no business being an NFL talent evaluator. Birk has had a Hall of Fame caliber career, developing into a durable player at a grueling position, while earning All-Pro honors six times in seven years from 2000-2007. And at the height of the Randy Moss jackassery that saw him eventually get traded to the Raiders, it was Birk that stood up to Moss and tried to show some locker room leadership. Birk's always been a stand up guy, and is one of my favorite all time players. Very old school guy that does his job very, very well.
Joe Webb, 2010, QB: When I go fishing, I have a couple of stand by lures that I go to when the fish aren't biting. They're my money lures that eventually get a bite or two on slow days. To me, at least right now, consider Webb a crankbait, and I'm slow trolling to see what'll bite. Don't get me wrong here--I really, really like Webb's athleticism and potential, but it's a real...REAL...REAL stretch to put Webb as the 'best ever' or 'all time' at anything after only being in the league two years. But I also know that if I DIDN'T include him, I'd get more comments about him not being an option than if he was an option.
So there you go. The poll will be open until noon tomorrow, and as we like to say here in Illinois, vote early and vote often.