Mock Draft - Rams stick to their draft board and pass on Blackmon

[Rambos]

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford - Lock to replace Manning

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor - Lock the skins made one of the biggest trade in league history to take him.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama - Adrian Peterson had surgery to repair torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee. Peterson may be highly limited early in the season and may never fully recover

4. Cleveland Browns: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M - Cleveland missed out on the RG3 sweep stakes and are still in need of a franchise QB. Mike Mayock called Tannehill a "franchise quarterback." "I think Cleveland has to take him at No. 4 and maybe even three." The hype is starting and will not stop until Cleveland reaches and takes Tannehill at four.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU - Ronde Barber is not the long term answer career and Aqib Talib's has various legal problems. He may miss time and be doing time


6. St. Louis Rams: Matt Kalil, OT, USC - Like last years draft the Rams find themselves will a player that was not expected to be on the board. The Rams stick to their board and draft Kalil the best player on the board.


Fisher has never taken a offensive linemen so high in the draft. But Fisher has never had a player like Bradford before and a glaring need to protect him. Fisher has already stated it;s a priority to protect Bradford so it makes too much sense to pass on Kalil.

LT Kalil
LG Smith or Rookie
C Wells pro bowler
RG Dahl
RT Safford

With this line I can see three pro bowlers in Wells,Kalil and Safford.

With two early second picks the Rams can address receiver on day two or with the bounty of draft picks (sorry) move back into the first round and take one of the top four receivers that maybe gone by day two.

[Tampa_Ram]

No way on earth do the Vikings take Richardson. Peterson is said to be recovering really well, and given the contract they gave him not to long ago i highly doubt they'll draft someone at #6 to replace him. They will not replace the best RB in the league like that. They might draft a rb later in the draft as insurance, but not at #6. Just my opinion.

[BarronWade]

Fisher has never taken a offensive linemen so high in the draft. But Fisher has never had a player like Bradford before and a glaring need to protect him. Fisher has already stated it;s a priority to protect Bradford so it makes too much sense to pass on Kalil.

LT Kalil
LG Smith or Rookie
C Wells pro bowler
RG Dahl
RT Safford

Actually Fisher has had a player like Bradford before in Steve McNair and his staff decided to draft playmakers in Eddie George and Kevin Dyson in the 1st round in the next 2 drafts...there offensive line did not really have a dominant presence from what i can remember they just all played well together there LT was Brad Hopkins who was good but not Elite.

Also the Vikings just spent a 2nd round pick on Toby Gerhart in 2010 and they have another young RB in Jordon Todman they are already young and talented at RB even without peterson i dont see the need to try to replace an injured franchise player without seeing how if he can comeback from the injury.

And yes protecting Bradford is a priority that is why we have not cut Jason Smith and signed Wells...even if Khalil falls Fisher must address a playmaker because you cannot win if you cannot score

[Fortuninerhater]

Rambos, I know you're trying to figure out a way for Khalil to end up in St. Louis, but the only way Minnesota passes on him is if they trade back with someone wanting Tannehill. You can absolutely forget about Richardson going there, they will ride Petersen for as long as he's capable. No way they give up on him this soon.

Barring another major trade back, I think the Rams next best thing would be to draft Morris Claiborne with the 6th pick if he were to fall to us.

[Rambos]

No way on earth do the Vikings take Richardson. Peterson is said to be recovering really well, and given the contract they gave him not to long ago i highly doubt they'll draft someone at #6 to replace him. They will not replace the best RB in the league like that. They might draft a rb later in the draft as insurance, but not at #6. Just my opinion.

You mean at three not six...

When prompted about the possibility of Peterson returning for game #1, Frazier said, “That’s what we’re aiming for. That’s what he wants to see happen. That’s what we’d all love to see happen. At the same time, we’ll have to be smart and see where he is. This is the beginning stages of his running. So we’ll have a better gauge in another one or two weeks as to what kind of progress he’s going to make.”

Look at last year with Clayton, we all heard how well he was doing and he looks great and then... he never got back on the field. The Rams just signed Smith who a few years ago was a pro blow receiver who is now a shell of himself. There is no guarantee Peterson will ever be the same player he was.

[Nick]

While I understand saying there's no guarantee a player returns at the same level after a significant injury, I think the Vikings are going to give Peterson a chance to do so before spending a Top Three pick on his replacement.

[Jockelite]

You mean at three not six...



Look at last year with Clayton, we all heard how well he was doing and he looks great and then... he never got back on the field. The Rams just signed Smith who a few years ago was a pro blow receiver who is now a shell of himself. There is no guarantee Peterson will ever be the same player he was.

Lets also not forget that the Vikings have Toby Gerhart, who not only was a stud at Stanford, but has played quite well with the Vikings in the absence of Peterson.

[Rambos]

While I understand saying there's no guarantee a player returns at the same level after a significant injury, I think the Vikings are going to give Peterson a chance to do so before spending a Top Three pick on his replacement.

You maybe right but the Vikes can take out an insurance policy with Trent Richardson but it may be too expensive but they have to consider it. A young QB needs a strong running game and I'm not so sure they have one without Peterson.

[general counsel]

There is some scenario where khalil is there at 6, but its not going to be because the vikings take richardson. Toby Gerhart is a 2nd round pick (last year) and a solid guy. If Peterson isnt ready, gerhart will start. They aren't going to give up on peterson unless they absolutely have to and they arent going to use the 3rd pick in the draft on an insurance policy.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[Rambos]

Lets also not forget that the Vikings have Toby Gerhart, who not only was a stud at Stanford, but has played quite well with the Vikings in the absence of Peterson.

I thought of that and that may make the Vikes... pass in Trent...

Here are his numbers from last year..

119 Carries for 531 yards 4.9 per Long 67 Yards Two TD and Two Fumbles.

He also had 190 receiving and 3 touch downs...

He did have a nice year no doubt.

He lives really close to where I live so I have followed him fairly close and I'm a supporter, I want him to do well. That being said he's not on the same level IMO as Richardson.

[Rambos]

Tony Softli Mock Draft
By Tony Softli
Published: March 24, 2012 @ 1:46pm

3. Minnesota Vikings Matt Kalil OT USC

Team Needs: OT, DC, WR

Prospect Options: Trent Richardson – RB Alabama

With Adrian Peterson coming off ACL surgery and the future unknown, the Vikings could use a young workhorse running back like Richardson, but GM Rick Spielman will most likely choose to safeguard his quarterback by protecting the edge, and drafting a running back later...


The closes thing I can find to supporting my mock witch is not much LOL... Ok none.

[Tampa_Ram]

You mean at three not six...

lol yea, meant #3 sorry, i just have the #6 embedded into my brain right now.

[sosa39rams]

There is a 0% chance that this happens. The Vikes would have to be the stupidest team in NFL history to take Trich at #3. Considering the fact that their LT is horrible (Charlie Johnson) and they have no WR's, I can see Kalil or Blackmon there. AP is recovering very well from his injury and I can guarantee you he will be the same player he was before the injury.

[Rambos]

There is a 0% chance that this happens. The Vikes would have to be the stupidest team in NFL history to take Trich at #3. Considering the fact that their LT is horrible (Charlie Johnson) and they have no WR's, I can see Kalil or Blackmon there. AP is recovering very well from his injury and I can guarantee you he will be the same player he was before the injury.

Well with that being said... Peterson and all of Vikings Nation can exhale.
The guy has not even run yet... and you got him, I hope you are right he's a hell of a back when healthy.

As we move closer to the draft, his progress is a factor. IMO

[sosa39rams]

Well with that being said... Peterson and all of Vikings Nation can exhale.
The guy has not even run yet... and you got him, I hope you are right he's a hell of a back when healthy.

As we move closer to the draft, his progress is a factor. IMO

How could he possibly run? He tore his ACL and MCL 3 months ago.. He's not superhuman..