This is the End- Mock Draft:

[The Gnat]

Frazier's time is up in Minnesota, and I haven't done a mock draft in a while. So here is after this weeks fun, the Vikings end up with the 4th overall pick, and thus have the 4th pick in each round. They also have the Seattle pick, around 29-32 in round three, and a 7th round comp pick to fill out the 8th round.

Coaching Staff

A full house cleaning will happen, as the Wilf's keep their hand in the selection process a little, but they can't get any of the big names and end up going with:

Head Coach
Mike Zimmer: He's another defensive coach, but they need someone with passion along the sideline, and he's definitely a coach that has that, and he runs a 4-3, so there won't be a scheme change.

Offensive Coordinator
Hue Jackson: Zimmer brings someone in with head coach experience so he can lead the offense and let Zimmer pay more attention to the defensive side of the ball.

Defensive Coordinator
Jay Hayes: More pulling from the Bengals staff to take with him. Hayes is the defensive line coach and has done a great job getting a ton from the players on that defensive line team.

Roster

16 Matt Cassel - Kept, gets another year added to his deal, kept around to start and then back-up when young QB is ready.
12 Josh Freeman - Gone
7 Christian Ponder - traded for conditional pick in 2015 draft
44 Matt Asiata - Kept
32 Toby Gerhart - Gone
28 Adrian Peterson - Kept
42 Jerome Felton - Kept
48 Zach Line - Kept
85 Greg Childs - Kept
15 Greg Jennings - Kept
84 Cordarrelle Patterson - Kept
81 Jerome Simpson - Gone
83 Rodney Smith - Kept
14 Joe Webb - Kept
17 Jarius Wright - Kept
89 John Carlson - Cut
40 Rhett Ellison - Kept
86 Chase Ford - Kept
82 Kyle Rudolph - Kept
65 John Sullivan - Kept
60 Jeff Baca - Kept
63 Brandon Fusco - Kept
67 Mike Remmers - Gone
61 Joe Berger OL - Gone
74 Charlie Johnson - Gone
75 Matt Kalil - Kept
71 Phil Loadholt - Kept
73 J'Marcus Webb - Kept

Offensive Positions to fill: LG, OL Depth, RB Depth, QB

69 Jared Allen - Gone
97 Everson Griffen - Kept, signs a four year deal with the Vikings
96 Brian Robison - Kept
91 Chase Baker - Gone
90 Fred Evans - Kept
95 Sharrif Floyd - Kept
98 Letroy Guion - Gone
93 Kevin Williams - Gone
59 Desmond Bishop - Gone
57 Audie Cole - Kept
51 Larry Dean - Kept
52 Chad Greenway - Kept, he renegotiates to open up some more money for the Vikings while he gets more of the remaining money guaranteed.
50 Erin Henderson - Gone
54 Gerald Hodges - Kept
56 Michael Mauti - Kept
55 Marvin Mitchell - Gone
20 Chris Cook - Gone
27 Shaun Prater - Kept
29 Xavier Rhodes - Kept
21 Josh Robinson - Kept
35 Marcus Sherels - Kept
36 Robert Blanton - Kept
41 Mistral Raymond - Gone
33 Jamarca Sanford - Kept
34 Andrew Sendejo - Kept
22 Harrison Smith - Kept

Defensive needs: LB, CB, S, NT, DE depth

3 Blair Walsh - Kept
18 Jeff Locke - Kept
46 Cullen Loeffler - Kept

Special Teams needs: None

Free Agency

Alterraun Verner - He signs a four year deal, with good money, but he gives them a second good starting CB to play opposite of Rhodes.

Major Wright - Another four year deal, the Vikings address the defensive backfield through free agency getting two young players who will make a good pay check and help out that defense a lot.

MBT - He comes back to be the third QB again.

Draft

1: Brett Hundley QB UCLA
I think he has about the most upside of any QB that might declare for this draft (and if he doesn't declare, I think Bortles would be this pick), but they have Cassel who will start for at least half the season if not the full season while they get the QB ready to play.

2: Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU
Van Noy or Shazier makes sense as the pick, the Vikings get a starting LB to help take pressure off of Chad Greenway, and Audie Cole can fight for the starting MLB position with Mauti.

3a: Zack Martin, OG, Notre Dame
The Vikings need a left guard, he offers some flexibility where he can play. And helps solidify the offensive line.

3b: Daniel McCullers, NT, Tennessee
They can wait some on getting a NT, but McCullers will be eating up the offensive linemen to keep pressure off of the LB's.

4: Chris Smith, DE, Arkansas
They need more DE depth, and Smith gives them that, he's put up good numbers this year in college, but needs more refinement to his game, and doesn't show up on tape against top competition as much.

5: Seantrel Henderson, OT, Miami
I actually "like" him, I think he can at some point in time be a starting OT in the NFL, he suffers from Bryant McKinnie syndrome, I feel, where he is a big body but hasn't lived up to his talent, some from lack of effort on his behalf, however, I think it will be possible to kick his behind into a solid back-up OT.

6: Silas Redd, RB, USC
They basically need depth at the RB position, Redd can be a solid back who hopefully only gets a couple of rushes a game.

7a: Deion Belue, CB, Alabama
CB depth/DB depth

7b: Kaneakua Friel, TE, BYU
TE depth.
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Gnat's Movie Reviews

[vikesnewcoach11]

Very nice mock draft Gnat. A lot of it is similar to mine but also what you did differently I like as well. I love the Verner signing. I had us signing him in my first mock. Of course I love the Zimmer signing. I'll probably continue to put him as the head coach on every mock I do until we finally do get a new coach

The one thing that I am unsure of is Hundley. I'm not impressed with his arm and personally think he should stay another year. However, I could be wrong.

Overall, well done
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#7 Christian Ponder- QB
Comp/Att: 128/201 Comp %: 63.7 Yards: 1,375 TDs: 6 INTs: 9 QBR: 74.9

[The Gnat]

Thank you.

I think we only get one of Hundley or Bortles in the draft, and the Vikings will likely like either one or the other of them. Hundley I think can develop into a better passer, but he should stay another year, however, it is more detrimental to his draft position because of other QB's who will be coming out. So I'll stick him behind Cassel for a while.
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Gnat's Movie Reviews

[KeithVikings28]

I would rather take Manziel over Hundely and Bortles.

[disaacs]

[KeithVikings28]

Hundley is a one read QB. He is unable to scan the field and when his 1st target is taken away he either A. Forces the throw or B. Gets sacked.

[rpmwr19]

[rpmwr19]

Both Hundley and Manziel are RS Sophomores and while their current ability in progression reading needs to be assessed it shouldn't be assumed that their ability in that area has reached its ceiling.
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RPM's Draft Predictions
Derek Carr will be 1st Sr. QB taken (9/23)
Khalil Mack will be drafted over Anthony Barr (11/25)

[PrplChilPill]

I am confused as to what I would do......but if you are going to try to fix offense and defense, this looks like a good start. But I do not think you can fix both in one year. I have no idea on Hundley, but I can see it happening.
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Wins are a team stat, not a QB stat

[KeithVikings28]

True. I just don't come away impressed at all with Hundley. He has tons of flaws in his game. Honestly, I don't think any QB is worth a top 5 pick in this year's draft.

[wcblack34]

No team is going to give anything of value for Ponder. Additionally, he makes less than Cassel, and since there isn't a significant gap between the two, it makes sense to keep Ponder.

McCullers is going much higher than our second pick in the 3rd round. There are several 3-4 teams that need big space eaters and NT, and even if that weren't the case, he's worthy of a 2nd round pick on talent alone.

I prefer Shazier to Van Noy, but that really just boils down to personal preference.

As for Hundley, I could see it if he performs at a very high level at the combine and workouts. Not sure how I'd feel about it. I'm a bit iffy on taking any QB in the Top 10 that isn't Teddy, but I don't doubt that it could very well happen.

Other than those points, it seems plausible.

[Freakout]

I would honestly rather re-sign Freeman before I would draft Hundley.

I can't see Van Noy or McCullers dropping that far in the draft.
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[rpmwr19]

[Slapdaddy]

I might be alone here, but I think we need to resign Toby if we wanna compete next year. We have to remember that we'll be playing outdoors in the cold for maybe around 8 games depending on the away schedule. He is the type of RB who would thrive in those games (as he proved yesterday) and compliments Peterson's running style perfectly. We might need to take our temporary stadium into consideration for a few roster decisions these next few years. I'm not saying it would be the #1 factor, but it's something Rick might use to rightfully justify keeping Toby.
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[VikesGuy07]