| For the Vikings, Draft Day 2002 likely will
resemble trench warfare. Not in the literal sense, of course, but the figurative one. The
Vikings need bodies to do the dirty work in the trenches. They need offensive and
defensive linemen, and this offseason, the best place to find them is in the draft. Depending
on whom you talk to, offensive and defensive linemen rank 2-3 or 3-2 on the
strength-of-position chart for this year’s college crop. Tight end is a pretty
unanimous No. 1. Said one scout: "Tight end is definitely the deepest position, which
is rare. (Some boards) have 10 or (more) guys that they feel comfortable with. In the
past, it has been maybe three or four, sometimes less."
But tight end is a strength for Minnesota. Jim Kleinsasser will move there from
fullback to fill an H-back role. He’s joined by Byron Chamberlain, who, after
catching a career-high 54 passes last season, was re-signed to a five-year deal worth $8
million.
The lines are not strengths, and they already are being addressed. The Vikings’
first move in free agency was signing DL Kenny Mixon, a free agent from the Dolphins. But
he’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Vikings could land four more linemen through
the draft.
Why four? The team has needs at defensive end, defensive tackle, offensive guard and
offensive tackle. It doesn’t need immediate starters at each spot, but upgrading its
depth is imperative as well. And if the Vikings want to improve their run offense and
defense, they’ll need help.
With their first-round pick (seventh overall), the Vikings’ best bet is to select
a defensive tackle. Ideally, the Vikings would take one of the top two offensive tackles
in the draft, Mike Williams (Texas) or Bryant McKinnie (Miami, Fla.), to be their left
tackle. But both likely will be off the board, leaving a quality group of DTs for the
Vikings to choose from.
The top four defensive tackles listed in Pro Football Weekly’s 2002 Draft
Preview book — Ryan Sims (North Carolina), John Henderson (Tennessee), Wendell
Bryant (Wisconsin) and Albert Haynesworth (Tennessee) — all could be available at No.
7.
Sims might be the best fit for the Vikings. Scouts have called him a coach’s dream
and a high-motor player, much like current Vikings DT Chris Hovan. Sims is thick and
powerful and can play in any type of defense. He comes off the ball well and can beat his
man quickly.
With their second-round pick (No. 38 overall), the Vikings could choose from a
second-tier group of offensive guards or tackles. OTs Mike Pearson (Florida) and Marc
Colombo (Boston College) and OG Fred Weary (Florida) likely will be on the board.
Weary would make sense for the Vikings, and he could play left guard, a position of
need he played in college. Otherwise, they could wait until Round Three for an offensive
lineman, perhaps mammoth OT Victor Rogers (Colorado), who stands 6-6 and weighs 330
pounds.
Unless the Vikings trade down, a deal is out of the question. The team has too many
holes to fill, and unless more picks are acquired, a trade would be a waste, even if they
acquired Williams or McKinnie. If the Vikings deal down in Round One, they could draft a
top wide receiver to pair with Randy Moss, such as Donté Stallworth (Tennessee), Ashley
Lelie (Hawaii), Jabar Gaffney (Florida) or Josh Reed (Louisiana State).
But when you have a Moss-type talent already on board and so many needs elsewhere, you
have to look elsewhere. And on the first day of the draft (Rounds 1-3), expect the Vikings
to do just that. |
