The Mink is off to another trip to New York to attend the NFL draft with cousin Obey. We annually match wits with the best NFL draft experts including Mel Kiper and Mike Mayock. Unfortunately, we do not get paid for it.
This years draft is a very interesting draft and difficult to predict. The first round of picks will be impacted by where the Big three quarterbacks (Matt Leinert, Vince Young and Jay Cutler). The strengths of the 2006 draft include:
1) Linebacker
2) Cornerback
3) Tight End
These are areas that you can get great value in rounds two and three. Several teams have needs in these areas and I see these positions dominating the first 50 picks. In addition, I think there will be a lot of movement, in terms of trading up and down, within the first 15 picks. Trading activity will be more active than in past years with the pressure to improve through the draft. In fact, I think the Saints at #2 will be the first trade of the draft and I think Mario Williams will be the #1 pick. I see the first 10 picks like this:
1. Mario Williams, DE, North Carolina
2. Reggie Bush, RB, USC
3. Vince Young, QB, Texas
4. D’Brickashaw Ferguson, T, Virginia
5. A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State
6. Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
7. Matt Leinert, QB, USC
8. Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon
9. Michael Huff, S, Texas
10. Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt
I make these predictions irrespective of the teams as I think there will be at least two trades within the top 10 selections.
In terms of the Vikings, I see three alternatives that could unfold:
1. They will trade up to get Jay Cutler in spots 9-13, if Jay Cutler falls to that point. Cutler has the best arm in the draft and is more athletic than people think. However, he has a tendency to force balls into tight spots and make bad decisions at times.
2. They will take the best linebacker available at pick 17 if they keep the pick, most likely Ernie Sims out of Florida. He is an excellent speed linebacker in the cover 2 scheme. However, he has suffered from 6 concussions in college.
3. They will take a cornerback at pick 17. Tye Hill from Clemson is the most likely. He is very fast with good cover skills but is on the small side at 5'11''.
4. If they stay put at pick 17 and do not see value in either linebacker or cornerback, depending on hoe the picks fall - they will draft the best available running back, which would be either DeAngelo Williams, Memphis or Lawrence Maroney of Minnesota.
I think scenario #2 is the most likely for the Vikings in round 1.
Most Likely picks after round 1 for the Vikings on the first day include (rounds 2-3):
1. Kellen Clemens, QB, Oregon
2. Joe Klopfenstein, TE, Colorado
3. Maurice Drew, RB, UCLA
4. Abdul Hodge, LB, Iowa
5. DeMeco Ryans, LB, Alabama
6. Taitusi (Deuce) Lutui, Guard, USC
7. If they take a wide receiver on the first day of the draft they will choose between Miles Austin, Monmouth, Derek Hagen, Arizona State and Maurice Stovall, Notre Dame.
The Vikings have 4 picks in rounds 2 and 3 and they can fill needs in several areas on the first day. Most notably, linebacker, tight end, offensive line and quarterback if not addressed in the first round.
We will update our readers with a post-draft report after the draft.
Mink and Obey from New York
