Four Oklahoma players were chosen during the first round of Friday’s NFL draft while the 11 team Big Ten had three players selected. Three of the first four players chosen were Sooners while Brandon Graham of Michigan, the No. 13 pick, was the first Big Ten Conference player selected during the first round. Oklahoma rival Oklahoma State had two players drafted on the first round. The Big 12 Conference had nine first round picks.
President Barack Obama will give the University of Michigan commencement address in Michigan Stadium on Saturday.
Vikings second round draft choice Toby Gerhart’s success at Stanford drew attention not only because of his playing skills but also his skin color. Exceptional white running backs are uncommon in major college football and non-existent in the NFL. The last Vikings white running back worth remembering was Ed Marinaro, drafted by the Vikings in 1972. Both Gerhart and Marinaro were Heisman Trophy runners-up and second round draft choices.
In the NFL Gerhart will be compared with running backs Jahvid Best, drafted by Detroit, and Ben Tate, selected by Houston. Best was chosen at No. 30 in the first round after the Vikings made a trade with Detroit and vacated that draft spot. The Vikings traded up with Houston in the second round to obtain Gerhart and later in the round the Texans chose Tate.
Gerhart talking about whether comparisons with former white NFL running backs John Riggins and Tommy Vardell are fair or accurate: “I think at times. John Riggins was one of the greatest running backs…so any time you’re compared to a Hall of Famer, that’s definitely a compliment. I think my running style is different than Tommy Vardell. I think he was bigger than I am. He was more just downhill, bulldozing people. I think I have a little more wiggle than he did, and I think I can be more all-purpose.”
Nate Triplett, the Gophers linebacker who was outstanding on special teams at Minnesota, may make the Vikings roster filling that role. The Vikings drafted the Delano, Minnesota native on the fifth round.
Vikings coach Brad Childress talks or text messages to Brett Favre at least every couple weeks, according to a team source. The communications are rapport oriented, not football focused.
The NFL’s switch to prime time with two evenings and one day for the NFL draft is likely to continue indefinitely. The league’s next major marketing move might be to reduce the preseason schedule from four games to two and increase the regular season schedule from 16 to 18 games.
Two-time All-American and Outland Trophy winner Bobby Bell was in town last week for a speaking engagement and to attend the Gophers spring game. He played on the three most successful Gophers teams since World War II. The 1960, 1961 and 1962 teams lost only six games, while winning a national championship, Big Ten title and playing in two Rose Bowls. Bell said the 1961 team might have been the best of the three teams.