[theboat]

2012 NFL Mock Draft - Defenders balance out the top 10 in Todd McShay's latest projection - ESPN

Minnesota Vikings
Record: 3-13
Riley Reiff*, OT, Iowa
The Vikings desperately need offensive weapons to help young QB Christian Ponder, but they also need to better protect their investment in Ponder. Reiff needs to get stronger, but he is an underrated athlete with the potential to become a very good starting left tackle in the NFL.

[imported_Tmoney12]

Originally Posted by theboat

2012 NFL Mock Draft - Defenders balance out the top 10 in Todd McShay's latest projection - ESPNMinnesota VikingsRecord: 3-13Riley Reiff*, OT, IowaThe Vikings desperately need offensive weapons to help young QB Christian Ponder, but they also need to better protect their investment in Ponder. Reiff needs to get stronger, but he is an underrated athlete with the potential to become a very good starting left tackle in the NFL.

What a dumb@$$, chance to go top 5 and you leave early.

[uofihawkInation]

Originally Posted by imported_Tmoney12

What a dumb@$$, chance to go top 5 and you leave early.

Right? Why in the world would you ever leave school for money. The decisions people make these days. SMH.

[atxhawk]

Kiper has him at #8.

[DP5555]

He could go anywhere from 5-20. I wouldn't be surprised to see him slip past the 10th pick. Then again I wouldn't be surprised to see him go to the Vikings either. He does have a lot of upside and he's very athletic for his size. However, if he goes top 5 or maybe even top 10 that means the team that picks him is expecting him to come in and start right away. I'm not sure if he's ready for that. Bulaga did well in his rookie season but he had the first half of the season or so to get adjusted to the speed of the game and the playbook before he came in and started because of injuries.

[AdamHawk]

In an ideal world (as a Vikings fan), the Jags or Dolphins make a trade with Minnesota in order to get RGIII and the Vikings take Reiff in with pick #7 or 8 AND get another 2nd rounder in the process. I would be ecstatic with those events.

[olddude]

I have a dumb question, has anybody ever heard of a guy turning down a higher draft spot and more money to go to a team they wanted? Just curious, as awhile back ago I was talking with some people about where we would want to live and I said even when I was younger I had no interest in visiting or living in New York. So I was just curious if anyone else has ever thought that way and just said no, I would rather go here instead. I suppose that would be between agents and the teams. But if it wasnt public, a guy could go way later in the draft and no one would know why. I mean I hear everybody say that about recruiting (location) and lets face it most good players go where they have the best shot of going pro. So with that line of thought, you would think the 3rd best team at sending kids to the next level would have no problem recruiting, yet we hear and see, just the opposite.

[Section136]

Originally Posted by olddude

I have a dumb question, has anybody ever heard of a guy turning down a higher draft spot and more money to go to a team they wanted? Just curious, as awhile back ago I was talking with some people about where we would want to live and I said even when I was younger I had no interest in visiting or living in New York. So I was just curious if anyone else has ever thought that way and just said no, I would rather go here instead. I suppose that would be between agents and the teams. But if it wasnt public, a guy could go way later in the draft and no one would know why. I mean I hear everybody say that about recruiting (location) and lets face it most good players go where they have the best shot of going pro. So with that line of thought, you would think the 3rd best team at sending kids to the next level would have no problem recruiting, yet we hear and see, just the opposite.

Only examples I remember is Eli and his daddy threatening that they were not going to sign with San Diego if they took him #1. Giants ended up making a deal with them.

Elway back in the early 80's said he would play in the Yankees organization instead of playing football if the Colts took him #1.

For some reason it semms like there was a player in the NBA or NFL that did not want to sign with the team that selected him and threatened to sit out the entire year and enter the draft pool again the next year and I am totally drawing a blank on who it was. Hell, for all I know I could just be imagining the whole thing.

[olddude]

So when chosing a college, location matters. Forget that Iowa sends more to the next level then any other B10 school and like I said is 3rd in the nation, even thou in the end that is the goal of almost all 4 and 5 star recruits.
When it comes time to go pro, location does not matter. Interesting. Seems to me these 18 year old kids might want to think about that a little more. You may not always get to chose where you go, but hey if later you are going to live and play in the cold or constant rain or whatever, you may as well get used to it now and while doing it increase your odds of going pro, or atleast up your draft stock. Ofcourse nobody ever claimed 18 year olds were all that bright anyway. Because as Iowa has shown when going to the next level, college nc's dont mean anything. So to base your desicion on that is rather dumb.

[ICHawk24]

Originally Posted by Section136

For some reason it semms like there was a player in the NBA or NFL that did not want to sign with the team that selected him and threatened to sit out the entire year and enter the draft pool again the next year and I am totally drawing a blank on who it was. Hell, for all I know I could just be imagining the whole thing.

Are you thinking of that NHL jerk? Drafted by a small Canadian team, sat out a long time then finally ended up with Philly. Mid to late 90s? Was supposed to be a super duper star and turned into a minor star, IIRC.

[DuffMan]

Not gonna happen. He wasn't dominant enough in college. In my expert opinion he needs another year.

[TecmoBowl]

Originally Posted by Section136

For some reason it semms like there was a player in the NBA or NFL that did not want to sign with the team that selected him and threatened to sit out the entire year and enter the draft pool again the next year and I am totally drawing a blank on who it was. Hell, for all I know I could just be imagining the whole thing.

Bo Jackson to Tampa Bay.

Bucs owner Hugh Culverhouse had him flown in to Tampa to meet with him in the offseason. Supposedly players on the team basically told him he the Buc's ownership sucked and he'd be better off playing somewhere else. With that said, the visit to Tampa somehow voided his baseball eligibility that spring as well.

Perhaps Bo was ****** about missing his senior season of baseball, or just took the players advice and when Tampa drafted him. He never showed up or played a down. He went pro in baseball that year.

Football world forgot about him. Al Davis the following year in like round 6 drafted him, and then allowed him to play baseball each season as long as needed. The rest is history.

[Lionhawk]

Originally Posted by AdamHawk

In an ideal world (as a Vikings fan), the Jags or Dolphins make a trade with Minnesota in order to get RGIII and the Vikings take Reiff in with pick #7 or 8 AND get another 2nd rounder in the process. I would be ecstatic with those events.

Another suffering Viking fan here. I don't see how the Vikes don't trade out of the spot if Kalil isn't available. I think they could still get Reiff at about 7 or 8. I am hoping they can trade the pick for more than just a second rounder though. From what I have read the "ratings" for picks would give them a #7 or #8 and a later first round pick to be "even". Anything less than that and the Vikings are giving up value and we know they sure can't afford to do that!!!

I think if Kalil is available they will take him. If he's gone and they can't make at least an "even" trade they might consider Reiff but I am more inclined to think Blackburn (sp) is the pick at three.

I think Kiper's board is usually a bit closer than Todd's.

At the end of the day though Reiff's draft status will depend immensly on the combine. I hope he does well and if so would love to see him anchor the left side of the line in Minnesota for a decade or more.

[trj]

Originally Posted by olddude

I have a dumb question, has anybody ever heard of a guy turning down a higher draft spot and more money to go to a team they wanted? Just curious, as awhile back ago I was talking with some people about where we would want to live and I said even when I was younger I had no interest in visiting or living in New York. So I was just curious if anyone else has ever thought that way and just said no, I would rather go here instead. I suppose that would be between agents and the teams. But if it wasnt public, a guy could go way later in the draft and no one would know why. I mean I hear everybody say that about recruiting (location) and lets face it most good players go where they have the best shot of going pro. So with that line of thought, you would think the 3rd best team at sending kids to the next level would have no problem recruiting, yet we hear and see, just the opposite.

Bernie Kosar

He somehow manipulated his way into the supplemental draft.....For whatever reason he wanted to play for Cleveland he might have been a Cleveland native.

Section is right, there is someone out there we are not thinking about it is not Kosar or Bo Jackson it is right there at the tip of my tongue, errrrrrrr.

[imported_Tmoney12]

Originally Posted by trj

Bernie KosarHe somehow manipulated his way into the supplemental draft.....For whatever reason he wanted to play for Cleveland he might have been a Cleveland native.Section is right, there is someone out there we are not thinking about it is not Kosar or Bo Jackson it is right there at the tip of my tongue, errrrrrrr.

Kobe?