Favorable review
Conventional wisdom says it takes three years to accurately evaluate any draft and the Vikings' Class of 2004 gets high marks from Scouts Inc.
Here are a few excerpts from the article, currently running on ESPN.com:
"Though the Vikings are under new ownership, front-office leadership and a new coching staff since the 2004 draft, the players added in that draft continue to contribute. First-round DE Kenechi Udeze and third-round DE Darrion Scott are both starters. Fourth-round RB Mewelde Moore contributes as an explosive punt-return man as well as a change-of-pace and third-down back and seventh-round FB Jeff Dugan has filled in at both fullback and H-back."
"Second-round LB Dontarrious Thomas has been disappointing -- his great athleticism has not translated into a regular starting position ... (But) overall, the 2004 Vikings draft class has lived up to expectations and made positive contributions."
Here are a few excerpts from the article, currently running on ESPN.com:
"Though the Vikings are under new ownership, front-office leadership and a new coching staff since the 2004 draft, the players added in that draft continue to contribute. First-round DE Kenechi Udeze and third-round DE Darrion Scott are both starters. Fourth-round RB Mewelde Moore contributes as an explosive punt-return man as well as a change-of-pace and third-down back and seventh-round FB Jeff Dugan has filled in at both fullback and H-back."
"Second-round LB Dontarrious Thomas has been disappointing -- his great athleticism has not translated into a regular starting position ... (But) overall, the 2004 Vikings draft class has lived up to expectations and made positive contributions."
posted by Don Seeholzer at 10:08 AM
6 Comments:
I can't wait to see the reviews on the 2006 draft, since we were panned so badly afterwards. I thought we did pretty well then, and still think so, though there are some balls up in the air.
But Showtime has already shown his worth. I think Greenway will be an animal, and if Cook sticks to that RT position and Tarvaris wins the starting job, then that's a pretty good haul. Not to mention Greg Blue.
I also think Ray Edwards was a pleasant surprise last year and should at least be productive in that Lance Johnstone pass-rush role he eased into last season.
They got lousy value for a few of their picks but overall they might end up OK. This regime seems to have a vastly different draft board than everyone else in the NFL but I'll have to give them the benefit of the doubt in regard to picking good players for their system. Never mind how the system is actually executed from a play-calling standpoint.
And I like the idea of trading down with the Steelers or Patriots. WR is such a crapshoot; the more the merrier. Draft 'em all, let God sort 'em out.
I knew I was forgetting one person, thank you.
LOL on the different draft board. It's true.
Isn't part of having a good draft, though, getting the most value for your picks? Isn't it appropriate to point out that Ryan Cook's agent wouldn't have taken him going in the 2nd round?
If you honestly prefer organic mixed greens to a bison striploin, to each his own, but I would find it foolish if you paid the same price as the striploin for your salad.
This is especially glaring given that the team traded up for T-Jax.
I hope that Edwards can fill Johnstone's role, too, but Johnstone was a double-digit sack guy; in his off-years he still managed 8 sacks. Edwards has a ways to go on that front.
Ha ha, nice metaphor.
As for value, I agree for the most part. Though I think the Vikes reached more for Cook than T-Jack, it's clear they could have saved themselves a 3rd rounder if they drafted smarter.
I say, if you get 6 guys you like and 3 of them become stars, you're rocking. If you get good value on those picks, all the better. I'm not saying the Vikes had the best draft or even the top 10 draft last year, but they picked good guys, and I don't think they were given that respect in the press.
Better to get the player that one wants, than not at all.
The Pats do a great job of seemingly trading down every year, still getting their guy, and then adding an extra pick for the following year.
If one accepts that the draft picks are the key to success, then it only follows that there is an inherent benefit to increasing one's otherwise finite supply of draft picks. It doesn't always make sense to trade down, but the Vikings have been grossly inept in this regard. (We had a deal with the Ravens to trade down two spots. They wanted Leftwich, we could have still gotten Kevin Williams. Instead, we cocked that up.)
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