The NFL Draft starts Thursday and this could be a historical week for the Vikings franchise. The opinion here is the Vikings will trade disgruntled Adrian Peterson before the clock strikes midnight on Thursday. Here is a list of other Sports Headliners items about the three-day draft during which the Vikings have one selection in each of the first five rounds, none in the sixth and two in the seventh.
With Peterson’s immediate playing future uncertain, the suspicion is the Vikings will select a running back within the first couple rounds of the draft. Even if a Peterson draft week trade doesn’t materialize, the Vikings have to be concerned about the superstar’s age (30) and disposition toward playing for them. A promising running back from this year’s draft makes sense.
Nobody I know about is predicting the Vikings will use the 11th pick in the first round for a running back but general manager Rick Spielman has a history of being trade-active the first night of the draft. If a deal resulted in the Vikings not drafting until late in the first round, a running back like Georgia’s Todd Gurley or Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon III could be tempting. Yes, in the pass-happy NFL the role of the running back has been diminished but Vikings coach Mike Zimmer still wants a quality guy to pound the football.
As written here awhile ago, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Vikings choose Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker at No. 11. That move might help fulfill a big play receiver need and would reunite Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater with a former college teammate.
Ex-Viking Bob Lurtsema, who remains close to the team, is “100 percent certain” Spielman will choose an offensive player in the first round. His thought is the Vikings have improved their defense dramatically under now second-year coach Mike Zimmer, and the need in the first round of the draft is for better players to complement the inexperienced Bridgewater.
The Vikings are trying to build an offense that can compete in today’s high scoring NFL. Lurtsema thinks the Vikings’ approach early in the draft is this: “We’re playing Arena Football. What’s going to make us the best?”
Will Brinson from Cbssports.com has the Vikings choosing Parker at No. 11, although most prominent mock drafts predict the selection will be Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes. Waynes ran a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine this winter and he has plenty of endorsements as the top cornerback in the draft. The Vikings have many draft needs including linebacker and left guard, but it might be hard to pass on Waynes who could give the team another quality young corner along with Xavier Rhodes.
While our five-state area has minimal reputation for producing high school running backs that become pros, this year’s NFL Draft prospects include four guys drawing attention: Wisconsin’s Gordon from Kenosha, Wisconsin; North Dakota State’s John Crockett from Minneapolis; Northern Iowa’s David Johnson, from Clinton, Iowa; and South Dakota State’s Zach Zenner from Eagan, Minnesota.
Gordon is forecast as a late first or early second round choice. Johnson has been compared with the Bears’ Matt Forte and could be selected in the second round, according to his profile on Nfldraft.com. That same source has projected Crockett and Zenner will either be taken in the last few rounds or signed as free agents.
Sports Illustrated’s April 20 NFL Draft issue ranks former Gopher David Cobb the seventh best running back available. The magazine said 2015 is a deep year for quality running backs, and praises Cobb’s durability and how he breaks tackles.
S.I. projects former Gopher Maxx Williams will be the first tight end taken in the draft, with the Broncos choosing him at No. 28 in the first round. “For $38 million less than Julius Thomas, Denver lands a TE with similar skills,” the magazine wrote.
Worth Noting
Vikings general manager Rick Spielman meets with the media tomorrow afternoon at Winter Park to preview the draft.
Spielman will speak at the May 14 CORES luncheon at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington, 1114 American Blvd. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans. Reservations for the program (deadline May 11) can be made by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.
Bob Lurtsema attended a reunion of former Giants players in Atlanta last week. Fran Tarkenton, who like Lurtsema played for both the Giants and Vikings, attended and so too did Greg Larson, the center on the Gophers 1960 national championship team.
The Wild’s success story continues on after winning Game Six yesterday against the Blues and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs where Minnesota will play the Blackhawks. The Wild entered Sunday’s game with a 3-2 series lead and the 4-1 victory was the work of some timely goals, tight defense and extraordinary play again by goalie Devan Dubnyk who made 30 saves.
Left wing Zach Parise had two goals, while right wings Justin Fontaine (winning goal) and Nino Niederreiter (empty netter) had one each. Parise, who got the Wild off to an important 1-0 first period lead, is now tied for the franchise record in all-time playoff scoring with 22 points. Parise’s totals are eight goals and 14 assists, while former Wild star Marian Gaborik scored 12 goals with 10 assists. Fontaine’s goal was his first of the series and matched the one goal the Blues scored in the second period.
The Wild hasn’t lost consecutive games in regulation since January 11 and 13 (before acquiring Dubnyk from the Coyotes on January 14). Including a shootout loss, the Wild has only lost consecutive games once since the NHL All-Star Game on January 25. In a 36-game span to finish the season, the Wild lost only two games by more than one goal.
Although live horse racing doesn’t begin at Canterbury Park until May 15, the largest wagering day of the year is expected at the Shakopee track this Saturday for the Kentucky Derby.
From the just teasing department: If the Gophers play their way into next year’s national championship football game on January 11 it looks like University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler will miss out. Kaler and his wife are leading a University of Minnesota Alumni Association trip to Vietnam January 2-13.
Except for last weekend’s series against the Mariners, the Twins have faced only AL Central Division teams during the first month of the season. Although the Twins have a losing record (8-10), the club has played 12 of its first 18 games on the road, and won two of three games against the Mariners in Seattle. The Twins start a three-game home stand against the Tigers tonight, a team that swept a 3-0 series in Detroit to begin the season.
What’s the point of Rick Spielman meeting with the media about the upcoming draft? What is he going to say? It’s not like he’s going to reveal their plans or who they want to select.
All the speculation leading up to the draft is a waste of time. Aside from the super-hardcore fans, does anyone really care?