The Gnat's Post SB Mock Draft

[The Gnat]

I'm not doing the full off season this time, I'll just give a few generals:

Vikings sign:
NT and CB prior to the draft, NT as a starter, and CB as depth who can play nickle or dime. They also resign Griffen to play in Allen's spot this next season.

Draft

Trade: There are several players available, but the Giants move up to get Ealy to return their pass rush to what it once was. The Vikings get pick 12, and the Giants 2nd round pick for pick 8 and Seattle's third round pick.

With pick 12 the Vikings select:

CJ Mosley, ILB, Alabama

He gives the Vikings a second starting caliber LB, and will help Greenway in that he won't have to worry about trying to do everything again, which should improve his play back to average.

Trade: The Vikings make a move back into round one, this seems to be near a standard move of Spielman at this point, they move up to pick #25 by trading their second and their third.

With pick 25 the Vikings select:

Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State

Combo him with Rhodes and the new nickle/dime CB, plus Sherels and Josh Robinson (who will probably get helped the most by Zimmer), the Vikings have a lot of depth at the CB position, and CB's who can play in Zimmer's man scheme.

With pick 43 the Vikings select:

LaMarcus Joyner, S, Florida State

The rebuild of the defense continues, there isn't a QB available at this point which I see the Vikings want to draft. Joyner gives them an undersized by talented safety to play next to Harrison Smith and has basically allowed the Vikings to rebuild their secondary completely.

With pick 104 the Vikings select:

Joel Bitonio, OL, Nevada

He has potential to start at the OG position, or be a swing depth player for a year or two while learning the system.

Trade: The Vikings trade their fifth this year for a fourth next year.

With pick 168 the Vikings select:

Jeff Matthews, QB, Cornell

He's a project, but he's be good depth for Norv Turner to work for a while.

With pick 200 the Vikings select:

Robert Herron, WR, Wyoming

WR depth, someone who can maybe play for a little while.

My thoughts looking at this whole draft, it's kind of sad not to get a QB, but Carr isn't worth a top 15 pick, and the Vikings likely won't trade back up high enough to get him.
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Gnat's Movie Reviews

[tonkavikes27]

I like it, moving back getting three players of need, grabbing interior oline, and developmental qb.
Love the thought of Mosley, dennard, joyner
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#freepeterson

[PrplChilPill]

anything past those first three is gravy. I'd be thrilled with those first three.
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Wins are a team stat, not a QB stat

[battle2heaven]

Some thoughts:

-I am a Mosley fan, but I don't see a Luke Keuchly type of impact from him. And that's the type of player I would want if I'm picking a LB in the top half of the first round.
-I think Matthews is a wasted pick. I would rather nab a falling DE with high potential; maybe a Aaron Lynch, or Will Clarke.
-I am a huge Herron fan, I don't see him falling that far down. He's a top 50 talent, but his height isn't gunna knock him to the 200s.
-Joyner is one of my favorite players in this draft. I hope the Vikings find any way to land him. He can play safety over the top, he can crash the box like a kamikaze, and he can cover the slot WR in a pinch. Joyner is the type of player that gives your defense a freedom to run sooo many different looks. Oh man, I need to stop

[Eric dunn]

I like rebuilding the defense. Dennard, Mosely and Joyner would be quite a haul. But i just dont see how we can wait that long to take a QB. We need to find our future guy so that Norv can get to work with him ASAP. Zimmer is a defensive guru who will get the most of the guys on defense, so we can expect our later round defensive players of have more of an impact. We can get a potential franchise guy in round 2-3, and still get away with improving our D in round 1.

Mett or Jimmy G are guys that will be there in the 2nd if we choose to go defense in round 1. Both IMO have top 10-15 potential.
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#TEDDYTHEVIKING

[vikingsrule]

[CriminalMind]

[Purplexing]

No QB until ..... too late?

Too many trades to be realistic. One or two trades at most is to be expected in a year where there is a new HC and the Vikings must add quality over quantity.

The rebuild of the D is a great strategy. But a QB must be taken high enough to make picking a QB worthwhile. Taking a QB late for the sake of taking a QB is almost futile.

[The Gnat]

I'm not in love with any of the second round QB's. I don't know that Garropalo is going to be that great coming out of small school, they are harder to project especially that high, in my opinion, and Mett, I considered him in round two, but that seemed too high for me as well, which is why I passed on him. As for the number of trades, it's three, Spielman always seems to pull off at least two and often three with trading away a pick this year for a round higher one the next year.
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Gnat's Movie Reviews

[mace3yo]

I love the picks but instead of that offensive lineman I would take someone Like Brett Smith from Wyoming. I personally believe he is going to be the late round QB in this draft that proves to be a franchise Quarter Back!

[rpmwr19]

Glad to see others coming around on Joel Bitonio, my 4th rated guard.
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[Bermuda Viking]