2023 Draft Talk

[swede700]

20 hours ago, SemperFeist said:

Luck. At least temperament wise. 

Was Luck deathly afraid of something so innocuous as milk too?😉

[Nobellythrower]

what's the difference from levis and richardson throwing bombs

Edited March 25, 2023 by Nobellythrower

[battle2heaven]

20 hours ago, SemperFeist said:

A 

By a mile

Okay how about A vs…

23 - Quentin Johnston 

87 - Eli Ricks

[SemperFeist]

15 hours ago, battle2heaven said:

Okay how about A vs…

23 - Quentin Johnston 

87 - Eli Ricks

That’s an easy one for me as well. I’d take Johnston all day long. 

JSN and Johnston are the only WRs I’d be willing to take in round one. And if either are on the board when the Vikings go on the clock, there aren’t many other players that I’d take over the top two receivers. 

[Ozzy]

In the 1st round Ringo or Antonio Johnson assuming Banks is gone.

 

Then in the 3rd if Cook is out Devon Achane, Tyjea Spears or Deuce Vaughn.

 

 

I would have to lean toward Johnson because of his slot ability and potential at safety is slot does not workout, and at RB I would be ok with any of those three honestly.  Would be hard to pass on WR in the 1st though and go CB.  If Cook is gone then WR and RB are arguably a bigger need than CB potentially.  

 

WR in the 3rd with Downs, Tillman or Dell.  Both RB and WR have value potentially there in the 3rd though which is nice and RB has value all the way throughout.  Could get guys like Brown, Bigsby or Ibrahim in the 4th maybe so that is nice could maybe address WR and RB in the 3rd or 4th.    At WR could get Jarrett, Palmer or Charlie Jones potentially.

 

At CB in the 3rd or 4th range for the Vikings picks, Corey Trice, Eli Ricks, Julius Brents or Mullen.  Would not be bad getting Mullen, Brents as well but not sure the Vikings need more tall CBs like Trice and Brents, not sure that is a scheme fit.  

 

[Purplepride323]

22 hours ago, battle2heaven said:

Okay how about A vs…

23 - Quentin Johnston 

87 - Eli Ricks

Not gonna lie, those would be great first two picks in the draft. Eli Ricks is a great CB with limited tape, which doesn’t work in his favor. A lot of scouts say that if he had chosen to stay in school, he’d be a top 15 pick next year. Getting him in the 3rd would be a steal. I see a lot of Jalen Ramsey in his game.
 

There’s a good chance that Quentin Johnston will be gone by pick 23, but if he falls to our pick, this would be a home run. He reminds me of Cordarelle Patterson, but with better receiver skills. Definitely a great weapon for an offensive mind like coach KO. Might be used like Deebo Samuel with frequent carries out of the backfield. Being honest, he’s not my favorite WR in this class (Hyatt & Addison are better imo) but he has some freakish athletic abilities that would be interesting in our offense. He’s a playmaker. 

Edited March 26, 2023 by Purplepride323

[ArcticNorseman]

For all the excitement of the past week's Pro-Days, I still see defense as the #1 concern for the Vikings.  Sure, Stroud, Young and Levis did their thing(s), but none of the three, nor Richardson should be around after pick 11 o 12.  And, I'm not at all in favor of the Vikings trading up to get either Levis or Richardson; both are boom/bust guys . . . which is too risky for me, especially looking at the crop of QBs available next year.

WR and RB are hot topics too . . . all shiny new toy dreams.  Of the CURRENT Vikes draft picks, the earliest I'd go after skill position player is Rd 4.  Sure, there's the argument of BPA, but unless that's Randy Moss or Dan Marino sitting in your wheelhouse at #23, go for the starter on D.  For the record, I think Keenan McCardell works wonders with WRs, and he's just getting started.  Guys like Anquan Bolden, Larry Fitzgerald and him . . . guys with talent, but great character and work ethic to be the best, can really coach and lead quality players to be better than the sum of their parts.  

I don't pretend to know what the Vikes are going to do, but if Flores has really dug into the front-7 and knows what he has at CB and Safety, I think he'll offer-up some chess pieces.  Meaning, he'll allow Kwesi and KOC to shop/trade Hunter and Z. Smith, and maybe others to get higher draft picks to fill needy positions.  In that scenario plus one offensive player traded, the Vikes get a high 2nd and a 4th for Hunter, a high 3rd for Z. Smith and a 3rd for Cook.  Those moves -- although I really don't like 'em -- would open the floodgates for 2024's extensions and FA, especially if Kirk retires, is cut or otherwise not on the squad.

With these picks, the Vikes have substantially more flexibility to target some very good players.  I still think #23 is CB or DE/5T, but LB could easily be in play if Drew Sanders smokes his Pro-day drills and work-out . . . even with that Trenton Simpson could be in play, or if Nolan Smith falls, oh man -- choices, choices.  Ideally, the OTs, WRs, and Edge guys will push the top 6 CBs down the board a bit . . . I'd love to see Joey Porter II in purple, but I suspect he lands at Pittsburg, even with their pressing needs at OLB, OL and DL.  Banks or Ringo would be solid draftees too.

 

[Ozzy]

6 hours ago, Purplepride323 said:

Not gonna lie, those would be great first two picks in the draft. Eli Ricks is a great CB with limited tape, which doesn’t work in his favor. A lot of scouts say that if he had chosen to stay in school, he’d be a top 15 pick next year. Getting him in the 3rd would be a steal. I see a lot of Jalen Ramsey in his game.
 

There’s a good chance that Quentin Johnston will be gone by pick 23, but if he falls to our pick, this would be a home run. He reminds me of Cordarelle Patterson, but with better receiver skills. Definitely a great weapon for an offensive mind like coach KO. Might be used like Deebo Samuel with frequent carries out of the backfield. Being honest, he’s not my favorite WR in this class (Hyatt & Addison are better imo) but he has some freakish athletic abilities that would be interesting in our offense. He’s a playmaker. 

Eli Ricks, yeah I had him as the #1 CB by far on potential coming into this season.  He was outplayed by Arnold on Alabama who is a pretty suspect RS FR CB and Ricks was not hurt but benched multiple times this year and was not starting.  Long and talented, showed flashes on LSU but is very limited and does not look the same after his injury when he missed most of this last season on LSU, and last year on Bama again was suspect.   The fact he did not put it together this year on a stacked Bama defense is extremely disappointing.  

Could be a steal sure, not sure what Ricks did at his Pro day athletically, could not find that info out.

 

Quentin is not Cordarelle, Cordarelle was a standout return man that could make you miss big time in the open field.  Quentin is not that at all, he is very straight line and does not return punts or anything and cannot really make you miss in the open field.  Big body for sure would be a nice change of pace but honestly I want to see him run, see just how fast he is honestly.  Really curious just how fast he is, but no way is he the run after catch guy Cordarelle is but honestly Cordarelle is a RB now in the NFL honestly, or that is really how he is used.  

[Purplepride323]

1 hour ago, Ozzy said:

Quentin is not Cordarelle, Cordarelle was a standout return man that could make you miss big time in the open field.  Quentin is not that at all, he is very straight line and does not return punts or anything and cannot really make you miss in the open field.  Big body for sure would be a nice change of pace but honestly I want to see him run, see just how fast he is honestly.  Really curious just how fast he is, but no way is he the run after catch guy Cordarelle is but honestly Cordarelle is a RB now in the NFL honestly, or that is really how he is used.  

I think he had 46 broken tackles on 115 career receptions in college. The last WR to have more than that was Deebo Samuel. Just thought you should know, Quentin Johnston can make people miss in space. He’s similar to Cordarelle Patterson in that way. To go along with the similarities in size, speed, limited routes, and habits (catching with the body/ not high-pointing the ball). I see those specific similarities with Johnston and Patterson, but hey, you can have your own opinion. 

Edited March 27, 2023 by Purplepride323

[Ozzy]

1 hour ago, Purplepride323 said:

I think he had 46 broken tackles on 115 career receptions in college. The last WR to have more than that was Deebo Samuel. Just thought you should know, Quentin Johnston can make people miss in space. He’s similar to Cordarelle Patterson in that way. To go along with the similarities in size, speed, limited routes, and habits (catching with the body/ not high-pointing the ball). I see those specific similarities with Johnston and Patterson, but hey, you can have your own opinion. 

Cordarrelle Patterson had 308 yards rushing and 3 TDs his one year on Tennessee after JUCO.  He also had 24 kick returns for 671 yards and 1TDs.  For punt returns he had 4 returns for 101 yards and 1 TD in that one year as well.  

 

Deebo Samuel had 154 rushing yards and 7 TDs in four years of college and had 42 kick returns for 1219 yards and 4 TDs over his four year career which he did have a decent amount of missed games.

 

Quentin Johnston never returned a kick or a punt in his college career.  There is a massive difference between "breaking tackles" or taking hits to literally making a defender miss in the open field.  If Quentin was good at that he would have returned punts or kicks in college.  He breaks tackles because the dude is a big 6-4 receiver and a super athlete, he can get the ball and take contact on the catch and keep going.  Does not mean he could play RB in the NFL at all which literally Patterson and Samuel are currently doing, Samuel from time to time and Patterson literally almost is one now.

 

That alone makes Johnston not like Patterson or Samuel.  Johnston is helped by playing in the Big 12, not many teams play all that great of D and at times DBs just bounce off defenders.  Very few receivers play physical anymore either which helps Johnston, name another big WR that makes contested catches in this draft and it is not that easy.  Cedric Tillman maybe, Thompson or Mingo I guess but even with them not sure any of them are great at true YAC or could play RB or return kicks/punts.

 

As players, the lack of return ability eliminates those comparisons in my book.  If he was as good at making defenders miss he would have done that on special teams.  Patterson to me had rare make you miss ability at WR, Johnston does not but Johnston has a better chance at being a true WR which Patterson waved goodbye awhile ago.    

 

 

[ArcticNorseman]

So, is Quentin Johnston more like a DK Metcalf or Terrell Owens?  Didn't Cordarrelle run a 4.32?   I think Johnston, from the bit I watched him play, is much more like an Anquan Bolden/Dez Bryant type . . . Physically powerful with a big catch radius, and plenty fast (unlike a certain Laquon Treadwell).  I agree he's not as nimble/shifty as Patterson or Samuel, but he would fit a role in the vikes wr room.

[marshpit23]

9 hours ago, ArcticNorseman said:

So, is Quentin Johnston more like a DK Metcalf or Terrell Owens?  Didn't Cordarrelle run a 4.32?   I think Johnston, from the bit I watched him play, is much more like an Anquan Bolden/Dez Bryant type . . . Physically powerful with a big catch radius, and plenty fast (unlike a certain Laquon Treadwell).  I agree he's not as nimble/shifty as Patterson or Samuel, but he would fit a role in the vikes wr room.

For what it’s worth, a couple of draft sites had him compared to Alston Jeffery and AJ Green. 

Edited March 27, 2023 by marshpit23

[gopherwrestler]

11 minutes ago, marshpit23 said:

For what it’s worth, a couple of draft sites had him compared to Alston Jeffery and AJ Green. 

Alshon makes a ton of sense. Tho, he feels a little more athletic than that. 
 

Not a fan of the AJ Green comps. If he is an AJ Green comp he deserves to be a top 12 pick this year. I don’t see that. AJ Green was phenomenal coming out.

[Purplepride323]

18 minutes ago, marshpit23 said:

For what it’s worth, a couple of draft sites had him compared to Alston Jeffery and AJ Green. 

I don’t see that at all. Alshon Jeffery and AJ Green were both great hands catchers and ran a variety of routes in college. Quentin Johnston runs a few routes and usually catches with the body. He’s not as polished of a WR as those guys. I don’t know what website saw him as an AJ Green type of player, but I like Steve Smith’s assessments of WRs and he wasn’t too high on Quentin Johnston. Quentin Johnston is the type of player that needs to be in the right situation or he will be a bust. He’s not a WR that you can put on any team and have him play the traditional WR role. He’s not Chris Olave or Garrett Wilson. He’s more of a Kadarius Toney or Laviska Shenault. It wouldn’t be a bad weapon for coach KO to have, but if we’re going WR in the first round, I would rather take Jalin Hyatt over him. 

Edited March 27, 2023 by Purplepride323

[VikeManDan]

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