Post by Purple Pain on Apr 16, 2020 12:42:46 GMT -6
Troy Williamson went No. 7 overall in 2005, Percy Harvin No. 22 in 2009, Cordarrelle Patterson No. 29 in 2013 and Laquon Treadwell No. 23 in 2016.
The Vikings need a receiver, and have the Nos. 22 and 25 picks in the first round of the NFL’s April 23-25 draft. It is considered an excellent draft for receivers but former Vikings coach Mike Tice nevertheless believes that, if the Vikings are looking for players with the best chance of making an big early impact, it would be prudent to draft at other positions in the first round and take a receiver in the second round. They have the No. 58 pick in the second.
“The history of wide receivers in the draft in the first round, the value you get for what they produce that rookie year, I think it’s a little smarter to try to get a wide receiver a little bit later in the draft,” said Tice, who is conducting draft previews on his podcast “Odds and Ends with Mike Tice.” “The (first-round) wide receivers that had Pro Bowl-type seasons their rookie year were few and far between. Obviously, Randy Moss is in that category but go ahead and name me six others. I bet you can’t.”
Of the 11 wide receivers taken in the first round of the past four drafts, not one has made a Pro Bowl, let alone as a rookie.
Tice was the Vikings’ offensive line coach when Moss was drafted and their head coach from 2002-05. Williamson, who was picked in the first round of Tice’s final draft with Minnesota, didn’t exactly bring back memories of Moss when he joined the team. He was a colossal bust in his three seasons.
Harvin showed some signs of emerging as a top receiver in his four seasons with the Vikings, but he had more success a kickoff returner. And Patterson was way better as a kickoff returner in his four years with the Vikings.
In four seasons, Treadwell, like Williamson, was a major bust, but at least he went 16 picks later in the opening round. He was one of three busts at receivers in the first round in 2016, along with Corey Coleman at No. 15 and Josh Doctson at No. 22. The other receiver taken in the first round that year (No. 21 Will Fuller) turned out OK, but the best receiver in that draft was by far second-round pick Michael Thomas.
Despite their uneven recent track record in the first round, the Vikings have had success with other receivers. Among their past four 1,000-yard receivers, Nate Burleson went in the third round in 2003, Sidney Rice was selected in the second round in 2007, Adam Thielen was an undrafted free agent in 2013 and Stefon Diggs went in the fifth round in 2015.
Diggs was traded last month to Buffalo along with a seventh-round selection for picks in the first, fifth and sixth rounds in 2020 and a fourth-rounder in 2021. One reason the deal was done was because of the depth at receiver in this draft.
“It has a chance to be historic,” said Dane Brugler, a draft analyst for The Athletic. “Usually, we see about 12 1/2 receivers go in the top 100. This year, we could see 20. There’s going to be plenty of value, second-rounders not going until the third round, third-rounders not going until the fourth. There’s only so many spots for receivers, and there’s not a really big dropoff.”
The Vikings need a receiver, and have the Nos. 22 and 25 picks in the first round of the NFL’s April 23-25 draft. It is considered an excellent draft for receivers but former Vikings coach Mike Tice nevertheless believes that, if the Vikings are looking for players with the best chance of making an big early impact, it would be prudent to draft at other positions in the first round and take a receiver in the second round. They have the No. 58 pick in the second.
“The history of wide receivers in the draft in the first round, the value you get for what they produce that rookie year, I think it’s a little smarter to try to get a wide receiver a little bit later in the draft,” said Tice, who is conducting draft previews on his podcast “Odds and Ends with Mike Tice.” “The (first-round) wide receivers that had Pro Bowl-type seasons their rookie year were few and far between. Obviously, Randy Moss is in that category but go ahead and name me six others. I bet you can’t.”
Of the 11 wide receivers taken in the first round of the past four drafts, not one has made a Pro Bowl, let alone as a rookie.
Tice was the Vikings’ offensive line coach when Moss was drafted and their head coach from 2002-05. Williamson, who was picked in the first round of Tice’s final draft with Minnesota, didn’t exactly bring back memories of Moss when he joined the team. He was a colossal bust in his three seasons.
Harvin showed some signs of emerging as a top receiver in his four seasons with the Vikings, but he had more success a kickoff returner. And Patterson was way better as a kickoff returner in his four years with the Vikings.
In four seasons, Treadwell, like Williamson, was a major bust, but at least he went 16 picks later in the opening round. He was one of three busts at receivers in the first round in 2016, along with Corey Coleman at No. 15 and Josh Doctson at No. 22. The other receiver taken in the first round that year (No. 21 Will Fuller) turned out OK, but the best receiver in that draft was by far second-round pick Michael Thomas.
Despite their uneven recent track record in the first round, the Vikings have had success with other receivers. Among their past four 1,000-yard receivers, Nate Burleson went in the third round in 2003, Sidney Rice was selected in the second round in 2007, Adam Thielen was an undrafted free agent in 2013 and Stefon Diggs went in the fifth round in 2015.
Diggs was traded last month to Buffalo along with a seventh-round selection for picks in the first, fifth and sixth rounds in 2020 and a fourth-rounder in 2021. One reason the deal was done was because of the depth at receiver in this draft.
“It has a chance to be historic,” said Dane Brugler, a draft analyst for The Athletic. “Usually, we see about 12 1/2 receivers go in the top 100. This year, we could see 20. There’s going to be plenty of value, second-rounders not going until the third round, third-rounders not going until the fourth. There’s only so many spots for receivers, and there’s not a really big dropoff.”
...
If the Vikings don’t take a receiver in the first round, they still could have some intriguing options in they stay at No. 58 in the second round. Receivers who still could available then include Colorado’s Laviska Shenault Jr., USC’s Michael Pittman, Penn State’s K.J. Hamler, Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool and South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards.
As for a later-round pick, former Vikings safety Solomon Wilcots said the team might not have to look far for one he likes. Tyler Johnson of the University of Minnesota is projected by Brugler to be a fourth- or fifth-round selection.
“There are some phenomenal receivers in this draft, including one right in the great state of Minnesota,” said Wilcots, an analyst for Pro Football Focus and SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I absolutely love him. He’s more of a possession underneath and yards-after-catch guy. He doesn’t have the top-end speed Stefon Diggs has but, I’ll tell you, this guy is a phenomenal player.”
In their 59-year history, the Vikings have drafted 20 Gophers. But they haven’t taken one since linebacker Nate Triplett in the fifth round in 2010.
As for a later-round pick, former Vikings safety Solomon Wilcots said the team might not have to look far for one he likes. Tyler Johnson of the University of Minnesota is projected by Brugler to be a fourth- or fifth-round selection.
“There are some phenomenal receivers in this draft, including one right in the great state of Minnesota,” said Wilcots, an analyst for Pro Football Focus and SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I absolutely love him. He’s more of a possession underneath and yards-after-catch guy. He doesn’t have the top-end speed Stefon Diggs has but, I’ll tell you, this guy is a phenomenal player.”
In their 59-year history, the Vikings have drafted 20 Gophers. But they haven’t taken one since linebacker Nate Triplett in the fifth round in 2010.
... and neither is this Chris guy.
