2012 NFL Draft Preview: Minnesota Vikings and Who Can Fill Their 3 Biggest Needs

The story of the 2011 NFL Draft was how many teams seemed to have reached for quarterbacks.

Cam Newton was the No. 1 overall pick, as expected.

But, when Jake Locker was selected No. 8 by the Tennessee Titans, panic appeared to have to set in on those looking to upgrade the quarterback position.

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to No. 10 to select Blaine Gabbert. Then, with the No. 12 pick, the Minnesota Vikings selected Christian Ponder.

Many around the NFL criticized the Vikings for taking Ponder, who many had graded as a second-round prospect. But remember, the quarterback position is graded differently than any other on the field.

If a team truly believes they have targeted the right person to be their franchise quarterback, then no price is too high.

As for Ponder, when he finally took over for struggling veteran Donovan McNabb a few games into the season, he showed promise.

He finished the year playing in 11 games, throwing for 13 touchdowns as well as 13 interceptions. Still, not bad for a rookie quarterback.

Ponder appears to be on solid footing as the quarterback of the future, although some would like to see what Joe Webb could do over the course of a season.

The only way to truly evaluate Ponder is to surround him with talent on the offensive line and at wide receiver.

The three biggest needs facing the Vikings as they prepare for the 2012 NFL Draft:

Cornerback:

Antoine Winfield has seemingly been around forever. At 35, Winfield is still a good player, however, he shouldn’t be counted on to be Minnesota’s top corner moving forward.

Chris Cook has shown some promise—when he is on the field.

He has dealt with injuries and off-field issues thus far in his brief time in the league. He possesses excellent size and speed, but can the Vikings count on him?

Possessing the No. 3 overall pick, the Vikings are in an excellent position. With quarterbacks going first and second, they essentially control the entire draft.

Do they trade back—acquire more picks to fill their vast needs? Or do they stay at No. 3?

If the Vikings stay, they would probably choose between USC left tackle Matt Kalil and LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.

Playing in a division with excellent passing teams, the Vikings need to load up on young corners.

Claiborne would be an excellent choice.

If they choose to pick Kalil, they could go with a number of options in the second round and later.

Janoris Jenkins, perhaps the most talented cover corner in the draft, should be there at the beginning of the second round. However, Jenkins has serious character issues and would the Vikings want to pair him with Cook going forward?

Dre Kirkpatrick of Alabama would be an excellent choice if he falls out of the first round.

Offensive line:

The Vikings need help all across the offensive line.

They should be okay at center with John Sullivan, but both tackle and guard spots could be improved upon.

Phil Loadholt will get another chance as the right tackle. He has been impressive at times, but overall has battled inconsistency for much of his three seasons.

Drafting the aforementioned Kalil would make a lot of sense. He would protect your long-term investment at quarterback, while immediately upgrading the entire unit.

The Vikings have to weigh the depth of each position they are targeting in each round.

Can they draft Kalil and still get help at corner in later rounds?

Or, is the depth at offensive tackle solid in later rounds?

The cornerback and offensive tackle positions are in demand. This draft has more depth at the cornerback position, leading many to believe the Vikings will go with Kalil No. 3 overall.

Don’t be surprised if the team addresses the guard position with mid-round picks as well.

Wide receiver:

Percy Harvin is currently the Vikings best wide receiver. While Vikings fans love Harvin, he is more of a multi-dimensional offensive threat rather than a traditional receiver.

Outside of Harvin, the Vikings have one of the worst groups of wide receivers in the NFL.

The Vikings will have a shot at Justin Blackmon with the No. 3 pick, however, Kalil or Claiborne would be better choices, so look for the Vikings to address the receiver position at different points in the draft.

In the second round, the Vikings could target the talented—but raw—Brian Quick of Appalachian State.

Quick has tremendous size and speed. A former basketball player, Quick hasn’t had the proper coaching and if he finds the right team, could be a star.

Stephen Hill of Georgia Tech is perhaps the best athlete in the draft. At over 6’4”, Hill ran the 40 in under 4.4 seconds.

However, he played in an offense that rarely threw the ball. So, Hill is going to be unpolished as a route runner, but has good ball skills.

The Vikings need to address the wide receiver position in the first three rounds and perhaps target another one later.

It is imperative to surround Ponder with enough talent for him to succeed.