When doing our seven round mock draft, we analyze team needs, drafting history, and the projected value NFL teams are likely to place on different prospects. Some teams are easier than others. Several of our picks are different than many mock drafts out there, based on our view of the team and what they are most likely to do. We will be featuring several of the teams that gave us the most difficulty in projecting the mock draft.

Minnesota Vikings - Pick #7 - Many are projecting Brady Quinn or Adrian Peterson here. Quinn would be a terrible selection for a team that drafted a QB in Round 2 last season. It would be admitting that they made a mistake last season and it seems unlikely for the Vikings to do that this soon. Peterson makes slightly more sense. Despite giving Chester Taylor a starter’s contract, the Vikings could use a playmaker like Peterson. However, they have depth at the RB position and other needs that are more pressing. The other popular choice here is LaRon Landry. While Landry is our highest rated defensive player, the Vikings signed Mike Doss in the off season to add to the depth they already have with Darren Sharper, Tank Williams, and Dwight Smith. It seems like a waste of a pick.

The two areas of need we see for the Vikings are WR and CB. The top three WRs for the Vikings are Troy Williamson, Billy McMullen, and free agent signing Bobby Wade. The top three WRs combined for less than 100 catches last season and if the Vikings expect Jackson to develop, they must give him a target. The problem is that it may be too early at #7 to draft a WR.  The starters at CB are veteran Antoine Winfield and 2006 draft pick Cedric Griffin. However there is little depth behind the two players. The Vikings had the 2nd worst passing defense in the league last season and a CB may make sense early.

We felt that the value of Leon Hall versus the top WRs here made Hall the most logical pick for our seven round mock draft.  The Vikings do not always follow logic, so the pick may change. Like several of the other teams at the end of the top 10, the Vikings are prime trade down candidates.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 24th, 2007 at 8:35 pm and is filed under Minnesota Vikings, 2007 NFL Draft. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.