in today's Star Tribune.
A year ago, I knew the Vikings would take UCLA running back-turned-linebacker Anthony Barr as the ninth overall pick in the NFL draft. He turned out to be an excellent choice, with only a knee injury keeping him from being ranked as one of the top defensive rookies in the league.
It’s more difficult to make a prediction this year, because the Vikings have needs at almost every position except center and quarterback. There are few defensive players the caliber of Barr who might be available when the Vikings pick 11th. Assuming the Vikings don’t make a deal to land a future Pro Bowl player, I’m going out on a limb and predicting they will take Brandon Scherff, a 6-5, 320-pound offensive tackle from Iowa who would fill the left guard position made available by the release of Charlie Johnson.
This year Scherff won the Outland Trophy as the best lineman in college football, the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year award in the Big Ten, was a consensus All-America and won what is called the Coaches Appreciation Award from Iowa. Gophers coaches reported that Scherff was one of the meanest, roughest, toughest-blocking offensive linemen they faced all year.
Scherff recently told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier that he doesn’t have a clue who will select him. “It’s been interesting to go through the process and see how it all works,” he said. “At the end of the day, nobody is going to tip their hand, so my approach has been to just be honest with teams and see where it leads.”
If the Vikings don’t make a trade to get a great defensive lineman or linebacker, or if Scherff is not available at the No. 11 pick, my prediction is there is a good chance they could take Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes.
A year ago, I knew the Vikings would take UCLA running back-turned-linebacker Anthony Barr as the ninth overall pick in the NFL draft. He turned out to be an excellent choice, with only a knee injury keeping him from being ranked as one of the top defensive rookies in the league.
It’s more difficult to make a prediction this year, because the Vikings have needs at almost every position except center and quarterback. There are few defensive players the caliber of Barr who might be available when the Vikings pick 11th. Assuming the Vikings don’t make a deal to land a future Pro Bowl player, I’m going out on a limb and predicting they will take Brandon Scherff, a 6-5, 320-pound offensive tackle from Iowa who would fill the left guard position made available by the release of Charlie Johnson.
This year Scherff won the Outland Trophy as the best lineman in college football, the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year award in the Big Ten, was a consensus All-America and won what is called the Coaches Appreciation Award from Iowa. Gophers coaches reported that Scherff was one of the meanest, roughest, toughest-blocking offensive linemen they faced all year.
Scherff recently told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier that he doesn’t have a clue who will select him. “It’s been interesting to go through the process and see how it all works,” he said. “At the end of the day, nobody is going to tip their hand, so my approach has been to just be honest with teams and see where it leads.”
If the Vikings don’t make a trade to get a great defensive lineman or linebacker, or if Scherff is not available at the No. 11 pick, my prediction is there is a good chance they could take Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes.
