The NFL’s new format of spreading the draft over two nights and one day probably isn’t that popular with league teams. “I don’t like all the dead time in between when you start picking players,” Studwell said. “I think it’s a waste of time.”
Vikings coach Brad Childress said decision makers may “over think” with so much time.
Childress was asked if Florida’s Tebow could play for an NFL team as an H-back: “Yeah, he’s athletic enough to be able to do that, and he’s a big enough body to be able to do that. …”
Childress talking about Tebow being a winner at Florida (two national championships): “It’s one of the most important things. Damn how rough the sea, did you bring the ship in? There’s a lot of different ways to win. … He’s willed a lot of teams to wins, whether it was through him handing it to somebody or throwing it to somebody, running it. There’s a lot of different ways that guy has beaten people.”
In his first round mock draft, Sports Illustrated writer Peter King has the Vikings taking Tebow (as a quarterback). https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/04/21/mock.draft/1.html
Cornerback was probably the Vikings most immediate need in the draft until the club signed free agent veteran Lito Sheppard yesterday but the team could use help in other defensive positions, too, including safety and linebacker, and still might choose a college cornerback. Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman is upbeat about the defensive prospects available in various positions. “…I think it’s a strong defensive draft,” he said.
Spielman likes the defensive tackle prospects and said there’s depth among safeties and cornerbacks. With over 50 college juniors declaring early for the draft, many of them defensive players, that’s “added depth to the defensive side of the draft this year,” according to Spielman.
Spielman has to be a busy guy not only at the office, but at home. He and wife Michele have six adopted children.
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has received attention regarding an incident at an Arizona bar where he reportedly threatened to break a man’s neck. https://www.tmz.com/2010/04/19/jared-allen-video-bar-fight-nfl-minnesota-vikings-scottsdale-arizona/
Childress said he talked to Allen about the incident earlier this week. “I actually spoke to Jared about that last night (Monday),” Childress said. “That (video) is from back in March, if I’m not mistaken. I don’t think he’s happy with his language but I don’t think he was happy with what was said to his fiancée either.”
Former University of Minnesota offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, now coaching with the NFL’s Seahawks, has an edge in providing draft information on Gophers eligible for the draft including wide receiver Eric Decker and cornerback Marcus Sherels.
A “sleeper” pick in the NFL draft tomorrow night or Saturday could be Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka.