By The Curt4074
Published: April 24, 2005 PrintEmail
Well, Day 1 of the draft is over... only 11 hours of listening to Kiper talk up McPherson and Orton...it was gettin ridiculous for a while there. I'll admit it... i didn't watch the whole draft...i wasn't about to waste an ENTIRE day... But I like what the Vikings did.
#7 Overall WR Troy Williamson
The Vikings drafted (hopefully) the impact WR of the future for this team. He isn't the guy i wanted, i was one of the people really pushing for Mike Williams. I think the team will regret not taking Mike Williams, but i do believe Williamson can come in and succeed. He has blazing speed and a solid leaping ability (37 Inch verticle). Daunte is one of the best QB's, especially at throwing the deep ball. The Verticle passing game should still be in effect with the Vikings next year. With Burleson running the underneath routes in traffic.
Grade: B
Keep an eye out for: Bust Factor. He hasn't done much to prove himself in college, workout warriors are always high risk/reward type picks, especially near the top of the draft.
#18 Overall DE Erasmus James
A solid Edge rusher who was the best fit in the 4-3 system still on the board. Many were pushing for Spears, but i believe he is too big to be an effective pass rusher in the NFL from the end position. He may be better suited for Tackle, but i have a feeling Spears will be a bust. But James Despite injury concerns, will be a solid pass rusher. Remember, a good pass rush can make a secondary 10X better, which is something i think the Vikings will have. With Ends Johnstone Udeze and James, along with Tackles KEvin Williams and Pat Williams.
Grade: A
Keep an eye out for: Injuries. These are a major concern for James, and with recent hip and ankle injuries, his career may be plagued with injuries
#49 Overall OG Marcus Johnson
Vikings solidify their O-line with this pick in the second round. They missed out by 2 picks on Kicker Nugent, but he is a great consolation prize. He will likely compete for the starting spot at RG which is vacant because the Vikings are only planning on using last year's starter David Dixon as a Back-up. A solid blocker and technically sound
Grade: A
Keep an eye out for: Speed. Johnson is slow, even for an offensive guard. He will likely not be very effective in the pull like David Dixon, but he should be a solid run blocker and pass blocker.
#80 Overall S Dustin Fox
The Vikings grab themselves some depth at the saftey position with this pick. Maybe a reach here, So i am slightly disapointed in this pick. He has good speed an man to man cover skills, but he needs to add some bulk to succeed at the NFL level.
Grade: B-
Keep an eye out for: Injuries. Scouts inc. Lists Fox's flags as bulk and durablilty. Both of these could be a negative factor at the pro level.
