Packers, Vikings Find Themselves in Similar Positions Ahead of NFL Draft

Though the Packers and Vikings experienced very different 2011 seasons – the Packers finished 15-1 and were just 120 minutes of decent football away from a Super Bowl, while the Vikings languished at the bottom of the league, finishing 3-13 – the NFC North rivals find each other in very similar positions heading into this weekend’s NFL Draft.  Both are principally young, inexperienced, and need to fill some important positions before the 2012 season opens.  Here are a few areas each team needs to address in the draft:

Packers

Running Backs

For all the aerial fireworks the Packers mustered during last season, their 27th-ranked rushing offense eventually came back to bite them in the butt during their abysmal 37-20 loss to the Giants in the divisional round.  With Ryan Grant seemingly on his way out and James Starks wilting down the stretch, the Packers are back to square one in the running back department.

There are a number of players that will likely be on the board when the Packers go on the clock with the 28th pick.  One fantastic fit would be Boise State’s Doug Martin, a stout, fleet-footed back that has spent four years in the Broncos’ multiple spread offense.  At 5-9, 219, he’s not the biggest back in the world, but he has an impressive power-to-mass ratio, and is lauded for his pass protection and receiving ability, both of which would be major assets to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense.

A later-round chance might also be taken on Oregon’s LaMichael James.  A small, speedy player, Ted Thompson might take James in hopes that he can be molded into a scatback-type player, not dissimilar to the role Reggie Bush played in New Orleans a few years ago.  He does have a serious problem holding onto the football, and is just a little too small to be a decent pass protector, but his home-run hitting ability might be enough to get the Packers to bite with a third-rounder if he’s still around.

Defensive End

The two losses the Packers sustained in 2011 came when the opposing team made a commitment to run the ball against Green Bay’s depleted defensive line.  The base 3-4 defense the Packers run requires three big, strong players to control a gap either side of the man in front of them, and for a large portion of the year, the Packers were stuck with their 2-4 “nickel” package, as they could only dress four (or even three) healthy defensive linemen.  The lack of depth along the front also contributed to problems in the pass rush, as primary rushers Clay Matthews and Erik Walden were often double-teamed by free linemen.

The nice thing about the defensive end position in the 3-4 is that such players can be found later in the draft.  One such player is Michigan’s Mike Martin, whose strength, size (6-2, 304) and technique would make him an ideal fit for Dom Capers’ scheme.  Though not an incredible athlete, he has solid instincts and a nose for the ball, both things that the Packer coaching staff will like.

Similarly, Texas standout Kheeston Randall has the long arms and explosiveness to play a similar role to Cullen Jenkins, whom the Packers missed dearly throughout 2011.  He routinely took the double team in the Longhorns defensive scheme, and would transfer well to the two-gap system.

Outside Linebacker

Perhaps one of the most frustrating things for Packers fans in 2011 was the lack of a pass rush.  While Clay Matthews is indeed a freak of nature, not even he can take on half the offensive line by himself.  Both Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson have iterated the need for a speedy backside pass rusher to play on the right side, opposite Matthews.  Such a player would not only need to be quick, but big, strong, intelligent, and able to play standing up (as a linebacker, not as a defensive lineman).

The player that the Packers really want to fall to 28 is Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw.  Upshaw (6-2, 270) is a true nightmare for opposing offenses, possessing 4.6 speed and a nose for the ball, leading one of the best college defenses ever in tackles last season.  His discipline and experience with the 3-4 defense are also huge assets, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see either the Bears or the Lions take Upshaw higher up and then trade him off for picks, if only to keep him out of Green Bay.

Conversely, the Packers might try to reach for a player like Andre Branch out of Clemson.  Branch has similar speed to Upshaw, but is bigger (6-5, 260) and has a far more nuanced set of pass rushing skills.  The only issue is that he is nominally a 4-3 defensive end and would need to put in a lot of time and effort to learn the finer points of being a 3-4 OLB.

Other Green Bay needs: Offensive Line, Inside Linebacker, All Secondary Positions

Vikings

Left Tackle

This is a no-brainer for most Vikings fans: Christian Ponder needs a bodyguard.  He took far too many nasty hits last year and isn’t the sturdiest glass on the shelf.  The Vikings have two of the first top 35 picks, including #3 overall.

The smart money is on USC’s Matt Kalil.  Kalil is gigantic (6-7, 300), quick (4.65 shuttle), great form, and pedigree to match (his brother, Ryan, is one of the best centers in the NFL).  One could go so far as to say the Vikings would be stupid not to take him at #3, but as any Vikings fan should know, this team often has trouble spelling “stupid.”

Should the Vikings commit the greatest error in the post-Walker era by not taking Kalil, there are still some good left tackle prospects to be had in the second round.  Ohio State’s Mike Adams is a monstrous human being (6-8, 320) that will remind many of Bryant McKinnie, and sometimes for the wrong reasons.  He does pretty much one thing, pass protect, but he does that one thing well, using his quick feet and giant frame to eat up pass rushers.  He would be a project, but were he to turn out, he could blossom into a top left tackle for years to come.

Wide Receiver

Though Christian Ponder often had trouble getting rid of the ball, period, there was rarely anyone to throw to when he did have time.  While Michael Jenkins and Percy Harvin are definitely talented players with a lot to bring to the team, the fact is that neither of them are the #1, go-to receiver that many argue Ponder needs to truly make it as an NFL quarterback.

One player the Vikings are likely drooling over at #35 is Georgia Tech’s Stephen Hill.  Hill blew the roof off of the NFL Combine with a searing 4.36 40 time, which combined with his ridiculous size (6-5, 206) and insane leaping ability (39 ½” vertical) make him a frightening prospect at the next level.  Having come out of the Yellowjackets’ flexbone option offense, Hill is also a shifty open-field runner that can fake tacklers out of their shoes.  The only knock is that, coming from such a run-heavy offense, he didn’t get his hands on the ball a whole lot, and will need to take a crash course in NFL route-running over the next four months.  That said, if he falls to the Vikings, Purple Nation should brace itself for some fireworks.

Cornerback

The Vikings’ secondary was truly comical at times last season, blowing assignments, tripping over one another, and simply leaving players wide open in acres of space.  Thus, with Cedric Griffin gone and Antoine Winfield likely in his last year, the Vikings need to look for a shut-down corner of the future.

A player that might tickle Spielman’s interest is Vanderbilt’s Casey Hayward.  He was a four-year starter at cornerback for the Commodores, and developed a reputation as one of the better all-around defensive backs in the SEC.  He is a fantastic athlete and is reportedly Woodsonian around the ball, which Leslie Frazier will appreciate, given his team’s inability to create turnovers the past few seasons.  While he won’t be spectacular, he will fit very well within the Vikings’ Tampa 2 scheme, and it would be no surprise to see him sneaking into a Pro Bowl a few years down the road.

Should the Vikings look for a more physical player, Oklahoma’s Jamell Fleming will likely be available later on Friday.  He is a muscular 5-11, 206, and though not the fastest player in the world, will hang with the best receivers and beat them up at the line.  He has the ability to play on an island, as coaches often say, meaning he doesn’t need a lot of help over the top.

Other Minnesota needs: Offensive Line, Tight End, Linebacker, Safety

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