Mock Madness 1.0Mock Madness 2.0Mock Madness 3.0Mock Madness 4.0Mock Madness 5.0College basketball’s March Madness will continue this week with the Sweet 16 as the NCAA’s elite battle for a national championship. With the NFL draft, another major sporting event on the calendar, quickly approaching, Mock Madness will continue this week as well with its third edition.
The draft will occur in late April and only then will we find out the next generation of Vikings players. But until then we have the mystery of who the Purple will select and the chance to take a guess at who that selection will be.
Who will be there for the Vikings at pick #17? Will Minnesota select an offensive player or will they instead choose to fortify their defense?
While no one can provide a concrete answer to those questions just yet, everyone can certainly take a guess. And instead of spending an endless amount of time searching the internet for ideas on what will be available when the Vikings are on the clock, you can check vikings.com each week to get an update on what everyone is projecting.
NFL.com – Vic Carucci/Pat Kirwin
After Carucci projected Derrick Harvey as the Vikings pick for two straight weeks, Kirwin throws a wrench into the process by predicting a trade between the Vikings and Eagles at pick #17. Ultimately, the deal ends with the Vikings selecting Clemson defensive end Phillip Merling.
ESPN.com – Mel Kiper, Jr.
ESPN’s draft expert also sees the Vikings addressing defensive end in the first round. However, Kiper chooses someone other than Merling to fill the need – Miami’s Calais Campbell. The 6-8, 282-pound lineman figures to be solid against the run as well as the pass, and he would immediately upgrade the Vikings depth at defensive end.
ESPN.com – Todd McShay
McShay, who analyzes the draft for Scouts, Inc. and ESPN, projects Clemson defensive end Phillip Merling as the Purple’s pick at #17. Perhaps it was the signing of Bernard Berrian that caused McShay to switch the Vikings pick from receiver Limas Sweed to Merling. McShay says “Merling has an outstanding combination of size, quickness and power, which would make him a good fit in a rotation that includes Ray Edwards and Brian Robison.
Scout.com – Chris Steuber
Scout.com’s Steuber concurs with everyone above and sees Merling landing with the Vikings in the first round. Originally Steuber had Campbell going to the Vikings but now he sees Gaines Adams’ former teammate going to Minnesota. Steuber says the 6-4, 270-pound Merling is “one of the best all around DEs in the draft and is a perfect fit for the Vikings.”
You can read Steuber’s mock draft of the second round by clicking here…after you finish reading this story, of course.
VikingUpdate.com – John Holler
Citing the need to acquire a pass rusher as “paramount,” Holler makes his Mock Madness debut by projecting Harveyas the Purple’s pick at #17. Holler says Harvey will be “the best pass rusher available at this pick” and points to the former Florida Gator’s 19.5 sacks over the past two seasons as reasons to believe Harvey will be a good fit with the Vikings.
DraftInsiders.com – Frank Coyle
A new player appears on the list as Coyle sees offensive tackle Chris Williams going to the Vikings at #17. Coyle says the offensive tackle pool is deep this year and the Vikings could dip into it early.
Sports Illustrated’s Banks has the same projection this week as he did last week, forecasting Limas Sweed as the Vikings pick. Originally, Banks predicted the Vikings would take a second former Oklahoma Sooner in the first round and make Malcolm Kelly the 17th overall selection. Sweed is 6-4 and 215 pounds with sure hands. He would improve the Vikings receiving corps, and, like Kelly, would provide the Vikings offense with a reliable, big target in the red zone.