And so it begins. College football has started up!
It is time to get your scouting hats on and start to watch some players who you feel would be good for the Vikings in their current rebuild (er reload).
I think that the positions that should be addressed in next year's draft are DT, LB, CB, S, WR, OG, and maybe a RB and OT.
I am starting with a look at the Pac 12 games being a USC homer and all. :)
Hawaii @ USC #1 on Saturday Sept 1st
Matt Barkley QB Southern California Sr 6-2 218
*Robert Woods WR Southern California Jr 6-1 184
T.J. McDonald FS Southern California Sr 6-2 205
Khaled Holmes C Southern California rSr 6-3 310
*Silas Redd RB Southern California Jr 5-10 209
*Nickell Robey CB Southern California Jr 5-08 172
Wes Horton DE Southern California rSr 6-5 265
Curtis McNeal RB Southern California rSr 5-07 182
Jawanza Starling SS Southern California Sr 6-1 195
Isiah Wiley CB Southern California Sr 6-0 180
Brian Baucham CB Southern California rSr 5-10 172
Drew McAllister FS Southern California rSr 6-1 205
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Northern Colorado @ Utah on Thursday Aug 30th
Star Lotulelei DT Utah Sr 6-3 318
John White RB Utah Sr 5-08 186
Dave Kruger DT Utah rSr 6-5 285
Ryan Lacy CB Utah Sr 5-09 187
Tevita Stevens C Utah rSr 6-2 300
DeVonte Christopher WR Utah rSr 6-1 200
Patrick Greene LS Utah Sr 6-2 230
Luke Matthews WR Utah rSr 6-1 206
Kendrick Moeai TE Utah rSr 6-5 260
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UCLA @ Rice on Aug 30th
*Cassius Marsh DT UCLA Jr 6-3 290
Datone Jones DE UCLA rSr 6-4 275
Johnathan Franklin RB UCLA rSr 5-10 195
Joseph Fauria TE UCLA rSr 6-7 252
Aaron Hester CB UCLA rSr 6-1 206
Jeff Locke P UCLA rSr 6-1 214
Jeff Baca OG UCLA rSr 6-4 305
Kevin Prince QB UCLA rSr 6-2 223
Sheldon Price CB UCLA Sr 6-1 180
Richard Brehaut QB UCLA Sr 6-2 226
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Luke Willson TE Rice rSr 6-4 250
Vance McDonald TE Rice rSr 6-5 260
Sam McGuffie WR Rice rSr 5-11 200
Phillip Gaines CB Rice Sr 6-0 185
Washington State @ Brigham Young on Thursday Aug 30th
*Marquess Wilson WR Washington State Jr 6-2 188
Travis Long OLB Washington State Sr 6-3 256
Andrei Lintz TE Washington State rSr 6-4 248
Daniel Simmons CB Washington State rSr 5-10 193
Tyree Toomer FS Washington State rSr 5-11 200
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Braden Hansen OG Brigham Young rSr 6-5 308
Uona Kaveinga ILB Brigham Young rSr 5-11 235
Brandon Ogletree ILB Brigham Young Sr 5-11 228
Braden Brown OT Brigham Young Sr 6-5 302
Riley Nelson QB Brigham Young rSr 6-0 200
Northern Arizona @ Arizona State on Thursday Aug 30th
Jamal Miles WR Arizona State Sr 5-10 180
Cameron Marshall RB Arizona State Sr 5-11 223
Brandon Magee OLB Arizona State rSr 5-11 234
Keelan Johnson FS Arizona State rSr 6-0 202
Rashad Ross WR Arizona State Sr 6-0 175
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San Jose State @ Stanford #21 on Friday Aug 31st
Shayne Skov ILB Stanford Sr 6-3 244
Chase Thomas OLB Stanford rSr 6-4 240
Stepfan Taylor RB Stanford Sr 5-11 210
Drew Terrell WR Stanford Sr 5-11 182
Terrence Stephens DT Stanford Sr 6-2 295
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David Quessenberry OT San Jose State rSr 6-5 292
Ryan Otten TE San Jose State rSr 6-4 238
De'Leon Eskridge RB San Jose State rSr 5-10 205
Travis Johnson DE San Jose State Sr 6-3 240
Nevada @ California on Saturday Sept 1st
Duke Williams FS Nevada Sr 6-1 190
Jeff Nady OT Nevada rSr 6-7 290
Brandon Wimberly WR Nevada rSr 6-3 210
Chris Barker OG Nevada rSr 6-4 305
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*Keenan Allen WR California Jr 6-3 210
Aaron Tipoti DT California rSr 6-2 280
Marc Anthony CB California rSr 6-0 200
Matt Summers-Gavin OT California rSr 6-4 300
Isi Sofele RB California Sr 5-08 205
Zach Maynard QB California rSr 6-2 185
Brian Schwenke OG California Sr 6-3 305
Kendrick Payne DT California rSr 6-2 285
Nicholls State @ Oregon State on Saturday Sept 1st
Jordan Poyer CB Oregon State Sr 5-11 190
Markus Wheaton WR Oregon State Sr 6-0 178
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Colorado State vs. Colorado* on Saturday Sept 1st
Ray Polk FS Colorado rSr 6-0 205
Will Pericak DE Colorado rSr 6-4 285
Jon Major OLB Colorado rSr 6-1 235
Ryan Dannewitz OT Colorado rSr 6-5 300
Eric Richter DT Colorado rSr 6-3 310
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Toledo @ Arizona on Saturday Sept 1st
Jermaine Robinson SS Toledo Sr 6-2 188
Cordale Scott WR Toledo rSr 6-4 220
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Dan Buckner WR Arizona rSr 6-3 215
Matt Scott QB Arizona rSr 6-2 198
Taimi Tutogi FB Arizona Sr 6-1 260
Terrence Miller TE Arizona Sr 6-4 228
San Diego State @ Washington on Saturday Sept 1st
Leon McFadden CB San Diego State Sr 5-10 185
Ryan Katz QB San Diego State rSr 6-1 215
Brice Butler WR San Diego State rSr 6-3 195
Alec Johnson C San Diego State rSr 6-3 300
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Desmond Trufant CB Washington Sr 6-0 185
James Johnson WR Washington Sr 6-0 198
Drew Schaefer C Washington rSr 6-4 302
Arkansas State @ Oregon #5 on Saturday Sept 1st
Josh Jarboe WR Arkansas State rSr 6-2 215
Ryan Aplin QB Arkansas State rSr 6-0 205
Don Jones SS Arkansas State rSr 6-0 208
Taylor Stockemer WR Arkansas State rSr 6-3 210
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Dion Jordan DE Oregon rSr 6-6 246
John Boyett FS Oregon rSr 5-10 202
Kenjon Barner RB Oregon rSr 5-11 195
Kiko Alanso ILB Oregon rSr 6-2 246
Carson York OG Oregon rSr 6-5 292
Jackson Rice P Oregon rSr 6-3 225
Nick Cody OT Oregon rSr 6-5 302
Here are a couple of other games too.
Boise State #24 @ Michigan State #13
D.J. Harper RB Boise State rSr 5-09 205
Jerrell Gavins CB Boise State rSr 5-08 170
Mitch Burroughs WR Boise State rSr 5-09 195
J.C. Percy OLB Boise State rSr 6-0 225
Dan Paul FB Boise State rSr 6-0 265
Jamar Taylor CB Boise State rSr 5-11 198
Joe Kellogg OG Boise State rSr 6-2 305
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*William Gholston DE Michigan State Jr 6-6 278
*Dion Sims TE Michigan State rJr 6-5 285
Johnny Adams CB Michigan State rSr 5-11 178
*Le'Veon Bell RB Michigan State Jr 6-2 244
Anthony Rashad White DT Michigan State Sr 6-2 330
Chris McDonald OG Michigan State rSr 6-4 298
Mitchell White CB Michigan State Sr 5-11 185
Dan Conroy K Michigan State Sr 5-10 186
Fou Fonoti OT Michigan State Sr 6-4 298
Tyler Hoover DE Michigan State rSr 6-6 310
Chris Norman OLB Michigan State Sr 6-1 233
Larry Caper RB Michigan State Sr 5-11 222
Alabama #2 vs Michigan #8
Barrett Jones OG Alabama rSr 6-4 305
Chance Warmack OG Alabama Sr 6-2 322
*D.J. Fluker OT Alabama rJr 6-6 335
Jesse Williams DT Alabama Sr 6-3 320
*Dee Milliner CB Alabama Jr 6-1 198
Robert Lester FS Alabama Sr 6-2 212
*Eddie Lacy RB Alabama rJr 5-10 220
Nico Johnson ILB Alabama Sr 6-2 245
*C.J. Mosley OLB Alabama Jr 6-2 232
Michael Williams TE Alabama rSr 6-5 272
Damion Square DE Alabama rSr 6-3 286
Quinton Dial DE Alabama Sr 6-5 304
Carson Tinker LS Alabama Sr 6-1 224
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*Taylor Lewan OT Michigan rJr 6-7 310
Denard Robinson WR Michigan Sr 5-11 197
Craig Roh DE Michigan Sr 6-4 280
Jordan Kovacs SS Michigan rSr 5-11 202
Kenny Demens ILB Michigan rSr 6-1 242
J.T. Floyd CB Michigan rSr 6-0 184
Roy Roundtree WR Michigan rSr 6-0 180
Patrick Omameh OG Michigan rSr 6-4 305
Which games will you be watching and which players do you think would be great Vikings?
The players I want to watch this week are Robert Woods WR, T.J. McDonald FS, Wes Horton DE, Jawanza Starling SS, Star Lotulelei DT, Dave Kruger DT, Cassius Marsh DT, Marquess Wilson WR, Travis Long OLB, Shayne Skov ILB, Chase Thomas OLB, Keenan Allen WR, Jordan Poyer CB, Ray Polk FS, Desmond Trufant CB, John Boyett FS,
William Gholston DE, Barrett Jones OG, Chance Warmack OG, D.J. Fluker OT, Jesse Williams DT, Dee Milliner CB,
Robert Lester FS, Nico Johnson ILB, C.J. Mosley OLB, Taylor Lewan OT, Denard Robinson WR, & Jordan Kovacs SS.
Of course I doubt I will see all of these players but I should be able to catch a few games in between cartoons.
Here is a quick mock after seeing the first 3 games of the preseason.
I think that the Vikings will end up picking about 8th so I am going to use that spot for this mock.
8. David Amerson CB North Carolina State JR 6-3 194 4.46
40. Aaron Mellette WR Elon rJR 6-4 218 4.43
72. Sylvester Williams DT North Carolina SR 6-3 320
104. Khaseem Greene OLB Rutgers rSR 6-1 230 4.49
120. Alvin Bailey OG Arkansas rJR 6-5 315 5.36 * from Lions
136. Kenny Stills WR Oklahoma JR 6-0 190 4.50
168. Desmond Trufant CB Washington SR 6-0 190 4.43
200. Ray Ray Armstrong SS/FS Faulkner College SR 6-3 216 4.54
203. Mark Jackson OT Glenville State rSR 6-5 332 5.15 * from Titans
UDFA
1. Baker Steinkuhler DT Nebraska rSR 6-5 290 4.88
2. Robbie Rouse RB Fresno State SR 5-7 190 4.42
3. Dave Kruger DT Utah rSR 6-5 285 4.86
4. Tanner Hawkinson OT Kansas rSR 6-5 300 5.04
5. Uzoma Nwachukwu WR Texas A&M JR 6-0 195 4.32
6. Nick Moody LB Florida State rSR 6-2 237 4.67
7. Dustin Harris CB/PR Texas A&M SR 6-0 175 4.47
8. Keith Pough LB Southern rSR 6-2 235 4.64
I hope that you can watch your team(s) and provide some feedback on players you think that can make it in the NFL!