2011 NFL Draft - MN Vikings Franchise QB

The last 2 years have been a whirlwind as a Viking fan, going from dominating the NFC Championship game yet losing due to undisciplined play/coaching, to being a laughing stock with the same core group a year later. The never ending Williams wall Star Cap saga, to Favre-Gate 2010, to the clueless trade of a 3rd round draft pick for Randy Moss only to release him mere weeks later for no apparent reason other than a Tinuccis meltdown. Then the downward slide of former coach Childress and his eventual mid season departure.

Stability appeared to finally arrive after the interim Head Coach tag was removed from Leslie Frazier and he was made the permanent coach prior to the end of the 2010 season. Then the CBA situation deteriorated and we are now in a holding pattern. Despite the CBA remaining unresolved the NFL draft will go on as planned in April. There are many interpretations and mock drafts trying to anticipate what needs the Vikings might target.

One thing almost everyone agrees on is the Vikings need for a franchise QB. Brett Favre will not be back even if he unretires as Leslie Frazier has said we will not be going down that road. Tarvaris Jackson who is a free agent was not tendered and is not expected back (thankfully). Joe Webb who appears to be very athletic and better suited to being an NFL QB at some point than Jackson is still raw, needing a lot of coaching/mentoring. Late season addition Patrick Ramsey is not expected back and the other late addition Rhett Bomar plucked off the NY Giants practice squad & signed to a 2 yr deal is an unknown & unproven commodity.

That brings us to options available through free agency, trades and the draft. First because his name keeps popping up Vince Young formerly of the Titans, no, oh please god no!! He is at best an overpaid slightly more polished Tarvaris Jackson. Other names reportedly available are Kyle Boller (ick), Carson Palmer, Marc Bulger, & Matt Hasslebeck. A couple of these might be serviceable options to manage the team for a couple years and mentor a young franchise QB so that he can learn and grow. As long as we get away from the Denny Green/Brad Childress era mentality of raiding AARP service lines for a QB every year to prop us up and lead us.

Ok so if we do or don't go for a mentor QB there is still one inevitability, if we want to change the Vikings culture and fortunes we need to draft a franchise QB in 2011 and there are many options this year. The question is which option suits the Vikings style, which is still somewhat unknown except to the Vikings. Although Coach Musgrave came from the Atlanta system so that might be looked at as a potential model or a hybrid version of that system.

Most of the names being tossed around for the Vikings who draft at #12 in the 1st round are:

- Blaine Gabbert (Mizzou) Expected to go first overall if not shortly thereafter but gone before the Vikings pick. Vikings Note: Had Gabbert in town for dinner Thursday 3/17/11. Were at pro day, no private workout.
-Cam Newton (Auburn) Very athletic. Accurate but arm strength a question.Big ego. NCAA issues. May have problems reading NFL defenses. Stock dropped a little at combine. Vikings Note: Like athleticism.
-Ryan Mallet (Arkansas) Strong Arm, accurate. Has off field issues. Arrogant and cavalier. Intelligent. Stock dropped because of attitude not talent. Vikings Note: Seems like an xcellent fit.
- Jake Locker (Washington) Strong Arm but accuracy concerns. Tends to be erratic. Vikings Note: Private workout.

These are the top QB's on the board. Gabbert is likely to be gone and one mock draft or another has the Vikings taking any one of the remaining three. The other available options are more likely go in rounds two or later such as Colin Kaepernick (Nevada) who is athletic with a strong arm but many feel will have more of an adjustment to make than the top 4. This is my pick for the Vikings early in the 2nd round after dropping in the 1st round to pick up an additional 3rd round pick. First rounder would then be used on OL more than likely Mike Pouncey (Florida) (C/G) or Tryon Smith (USC) (OT). If no QB selected by this time there is still Christian Ponder (Florida), Andy Dalton (TCU) (had a private workout)or Pat Devlin (Delaware)(home of Rich Gannon). These other QB's are projects more likely to need more developmental time.

The Vikings are on the clock........