April 30th, 2011 
Adam Warwas 
Posted in 12. Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
43. Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
106. Christian Ballard, DE/DT, Iowa
139. Brandon Burton, CB, Utah
168. DeMarcus Love, OT/G, Arkansas
170. Mistral Raymond, S, South Florida )
172. Brandon Fusco, C/G, Slippery Rock
200. Ross Homan, OLB, Ohio State
215. De’Aundre Reed, DE, Arizona
236. Stephen Burton, WR, West Texas A&M
Six picks between 100 and 200. Nice. Those are the guys who can make a team better down the road – hopin’ we chose well. Sounds like they graded out pretty good, huh Adam?
anybody see the story about Mistral Raymond losing his sister and his moms house getting set on fire? Pretty intense
really like the first 5 picks and homan at LB. Overall a good draft for once.
Pumped about Brandon Fusco. Supposedly he’s got a mean streak and a high motor.
Hopefully we can snag some nice UFAs when the time comes… Get me Hynoski!
Kiper liked Ballard in the second round. The center has some pretty good awards, maybe a better nfl player than people think.
Over all pretty darn good draft. Really like the Ballard and Homan picks. Way to move around and have a bunch of picks in the sixth!
IMHO…..reserving the right to change at any time…
#12…stretch, safe, out of fear, BPA = BS…..in a year of “weak” QBs, if he wasn’t our #1 QB, we should have passed, traded down and let it play out…
#43…great pick, great value, gonna be a diff maker
#106…over rated on most lists…classic under achiever, not my kind of player
#139…very good CB, very good kid
#168 & #170…questionable trade…from #150-#168 5 linemen & 5 DB came off the board…gotta believe there was quite a drop off in talent for us to pass up those 10 players for these 2 picks…don’t really see the value in that move
#172…I like any player with a “mean streak”, good pick
#200…like the pick very much, good value, should make the roster
@215 & #236…who knows
overall…C
For what’s it worth, The Bleacher Report loved the Ballard and Burton picks gave their stamp of approval for the Ponder pick.NFP said the Vikes have have gotten a steal with the DeMarcus Love pick. Good to some positive vibes around the web for the Vikes draft.
I haven’t seen much of the players that were drafted, but it was good to see our positions of need addressed! I’m glad to see we didn’t trade multiple draft picks for another RB again.
It will be interesting to see how this draft pans out. It feels like most people feel much better about this years draft than last.
I like what the Vikings did in rounds 4-7, they took some major steps to improving there roster. I really like the center and the line backer they pick up. They say Ballard is a high motor guy but will have to hit the weight room to withstand an NFL season, right now he won’t be able to hold the point of attack he is more of a 3rd and long rush end situational player until he is able to put on some girth or mass on I do like his motor.
i pray we have a great free agency and i really wouldnt mind having mcnabb for a yr or two as ponder ponders things on the sidelines.
eh? see what i did with ponders name? eh, pretty good huh lol
http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Report_Donovan_McNabb_expected_to_eventually_become_a_Viking043011
I’m torn on the McNabb decision. I mean, i certainly want a vet qb on the roster, but I don’t want him taking away snaps from ponder or webb.. I guess we will just have to wait to see how it pans out. Hopefully ponder is playing well enough when the season starts that we don’t have to worry about this situation.
Take a look at ESPN’s web page now. Seifert says that drafting Ponder was the best move in the division.
childo’s tentacles have reached into this draft, so now we undo what he did or didn’t do, and move on. we’ll still have a rough go of it, but -
UPWARDS AND ONWARDS!!!
LET’S KICK SOME ARSE, VIKINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
McNabb, Webb, Ponder on the QB depth chart…..yes, the Vikes can be very competetive next year with that trio….and position themselves for the future at the same time.
Without the rookie FA option yet….they also did very well to acquire more late round picks. Hopefully they can find a gem out of the last 6 picks.
Not a glamorous draft, but I like it more and more as I hear about the head on Ponder.
Hey Fozz, I believe the “gems” might be either one of the OL we picked and or Homan. I just just keep reminding myself that no one thought much of Tom Brady when he was drafted in the 6th round. Hello 3 superowl rings. I am feeling good about this group, or its heart burn! LOL
Time will tell. I’m definitely excited again though (setting myself up again, I suppose).
Just looked at some videos of M. Raymond, I was impressed. Shows good reaction, attacks the run and hits like a bull. From what I saw plays with high intensity and looks to be a ball hawk. Maybe we finally get an answer at safety, definately will be a gunner on special teams.
I am liking the Brandon Fusco pick, looks like a relentless blocker. Good on drive blocks to open holes and does not get moved around after the snap for pass blocking. Bye bye Sulli!!
Does the lockout prevent Fusco and Love from playing tennis with BMac and Venus? We could have those guys in game shape in no time. Otherwise, they will just have to lift weights, run stairs and maintain a proper diet, and hope for the best.
Buds,
We didn’t get our high end O linemen. Let’s hope free agency helps us!
Freds loves the TE from ND, he will help in the pass game. We still have big problems when it comes to the “the modern day slave” running the football behind that line.
Please no Don McNabb….Please!
Actually, Freds, I don’t care if their end is high or low, just so they can move and block. I remind myself that BMac was a pretty high pick (first round?) and that hasn’t worked out so well either. Maybe we found a couple sleepers. Love has done well for the Wolves, maybe that’s why we decided to try one on our FB team too.
Certainly a better draft than last year, time will tell how it turns out. I’m thinking Carson if we need one more retread, who would you want? (apparently not DMac.)
I can’t beleive the vikings didn’t go after Mcknight from South Dakota State university he is a great player.
The Vikings had a similar 10 player draft in 2000. No one stuck. You look at past drafts, you get 1-3 players if your lucky. Geeking over most of these guys is fantasy football. The WR they picked sounds like Jaymar II. Why bother. I like the competition at the positions, hopefully Ponder is a blue chipper.
These late round picks are where the coaches really need to work their magic. If they can manage to turn a few into solid starters for the team, it does wonders going forward.
Here’s some grading of our draft by Rotoworld:
Grade: A
Minnesota Vikings
12. Christian Ponder, quarterback, Florida State.
43. Kyle Rudolph, tight end, Notre Dame.
106. Christian Ballard, defensive tackle, Iowa.
139. Brandon Burton, cornerback, Utah.
168. DeMarcus Love, tackle/guard, Arkansas.
170. Mistral Raymond, defensive back, South Florida.
172. Brandon Fusco, center, Slippery Rock.
200. Ross Homan, linebacker, Ohio State.
215. D’Aundre Reed, defensive end, Arizona.
236. Stephen Burton, wide receiver, West Texas A&M.
Overview: We’ve seen Todd McShay bash the Ponder pick. The reality is, Minnesota needed a quarterback, Ponder played in a pro-style offense at FSU, and he is NFL-ready with perhaps the most accurate arm in the draft. We don’t have a big problem with the selection. Behind Ponder, you can’t question the value of any of G.M. Rick Spielman’s remaining selections. Love won’t stay at tackle in the pros, but he could be a mauling right guard. Rudolph is a day-one starter in two-tight end sets. Burton and Ballard were second-day prospects, at least according to draftniks. Fusco is a developmental center. Homan, Reed, and Burton are great late-round fliers.
I watched some highlights of Mistral Raymond too, he sure isn’t afraid to hit. I don’t want to comment his level of competition at USF, but he seemed to hit well, cover adequately, and man… does that kid like to intimidate! Spielman mentioned that he’ll probably be a safety in camp.
Compared to last year’s draft, I love this. We used our late round picks much better than we did last year. I mean, come on, Nate Triplett!? Ross Homan is a much much much better late-round LB pick.
We got a ton of value in the late rounds. Good, athletic players with a lot of experience and production under their belts. Looking forward to camp. Keeping my eye on Raymond, Fusco, Burton, and Homan specifically.
The Homan pick is a good one. Somebody was saying that he played alot of special teams. Might not be a starter, but can do many things for the team. Ballard will see the field, especially with K Williams out for the first 4 games. This draft class will hinge on Ponder. The other picks I like.
Go Vikes
a lot of people said that they were mad we didn’t take fairley.. I’m glad we didn’t.. He is such a dirty player.. not mean but dirty
Adam, How are You and that Family of yours doing ???
Even though I fell off the earth for a while AFTER THE PACKERS VICTORY, I cou;d only imagine what you guys were thinking as the draft folded out… lol
Hope all is well with ya guys .
good to hear from you, charlie…..hope all is well with you and yours
Thanks Krugs,
Same to you
Every thing is good on this end.
After the draft Spielman said he was on the phone with Cowboy but wouldn’t pull the trigger because Jones&Co. were insistent on getting the Viking 2nd pick. (Message to VikeFan: SOB Jerry Jones using Gabbert as extortion to swipe Minnesota draft choices)
Gabbert wasn’t expected to fall past Cardinal (#6) or 49′er (#7) so Cowboy were ready to trade and were on the phone the full 10 minutes before picking. Let’s look at that situation again using the NFL Draft Chart.
For Viking to move up in first round (#12) three places to Cowboy (#12) involved 165 draft points. The five remaining Viking picks after 2nd round included a fourth (#106) and two 5th rounders. Compensatory picks couldn’t be traded.
From the draft chart the value of (#106, 139, 150, 172 and 215) these picks was 185 points. Spielman had to be offering Cowboy the combination of the fourth, 2 fifths and maybe a sixth or seventh = 165 to 170 points to move up three places for Gabbert.
Apparently, Jones turned Viking down even though the trade would have equalled Draft Chart value.
With Gabbert on the board at #9 and the clock ticking down and Spielman is figuring out whether he can keep a 6h rounder or throw in the 7th. Jerry Jones decides he doesn’t want this package of low choices. He can’t see why Cowboy would risk losing their top guy (Tyson Smith) in exchange for low draft choices.
Who were Cowboy going to draft with three fifth round and three sixth round choices?
What Jones really wanted was Viking 2nd rounder (#43) worth a draft choice value of 470 points. After the draft Spielman said Cowboy wanted Vike 2nd round choice but he didn’t indicate Cowboy were looking only for value in a different form.
The trade compensation Cowboy were probably seeking to allow Viking to move up and get Gabbert was the Viking second round #43 in exchange for Cowboy 3rd rounder&4th rounder (#71 & 110). The Cowboy held a top pick (#71) in the third round worth about 235 points and a fourth round worth 75 points. So, the trade would have given Viking Gabbert at #9, and the Cowboy 3rd and 4th round picks in exchange for Viking’s #1 and #2 picks. Net draft chart trade value = 165/170 points – exactly what the charts indicates the move up from #9 to #12 to be worth.
Its disingenuous for Spielman to say the Cowboy were seeking Vikiing 2nd round pick to move up three spots. Cowboy wanted the 2nd pick and that’s all we’re really sure of at this point.
Had we landed gabbert it would have been an exceptional draft, I think most places would have ranked it as one of the best. I wish they could have worked a deal to get gabbert without giving up just a 2nd, they had been a bit more creative and to get the deal done. I can understand the cowboys not wanting a bunch of late picks and risk losing their guy..