2012 NFL Draft: Why Trading Down Is the Vikings' Best Option at No. 3

The Minnesota Vikings sit at the No. 3 position with multiple options to consider. Obviously, selecting USC's Matt Kalil for upgraded pass protection is one. Another option is LSU's Morris Claiborne to address the No. 26 ranked passing defense.

The NFC North is so heavily reliant on the passing attack, improving the secondary is arguably the best solution. That said, Minnesota can address a lot more needs with more draft picks.

The Vikings best bet is to trade down and stock up in a draft that is deep with cornerbacks and offensive tackles. According to Dan Wiederer of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, it appears the Vikings may end up trading down all together:

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General Manager Rick Spielman stayed on message Tuesday during a press conference at Winter Park. Spielman’s main talking points reiterated what we’ve known all along. The Vikings are far from attached to their No. 3 pick, more than willing to discuss trade offers from any and all interested teams.

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By that token, here are a few reasons why the Vikings have trading down as their best option.

Cornerback/Offensive Tackle Depth

Cornerback is the most talented and deepest position of the 2012 NFL draft. Even in Round 1, the Vikings can land a stud defender like Stephon Gilmore or Dre Kirkpatrick to take away half the field.

In addition, other underrated SEC corners like Brandon Boykin and Casey Hayward will be available in the middle rounds. All four mentioned corners are notable playmakers and possess the skill set to contribute as a No. 2 corner from the start and develop as a promising No. 1 corner.

As for offensive tackles, the first round presents athletic linemen such as Riley Reiff, Jonathan Martin and Cordy Glenn. Thereafter, solid tackles exist with Auburn's Brandon Mosley, South Dakota's Tom Compton and Boise State's Nate Potter.

All of these tackles are impressive pass-protectors and provide the ability to get upfield from the backside. Give Christian Ponder that little extra time, and he'll dish the rock around to help set up the run.

Stock Pile of Picks

You can never go wrong by stock-piling picks on draft picks. Trading down increases the odds of landing a franchise player—regardless of position—when the law of averages comes into play.

Here, Minnesota will at least get two future first-rounders and a future second-round selection on top of swapping in 2012. Depending on the team the Vikings dance with, they could potentially get three future first-round picks with a second-rounder since the No. 3 selection holds so much value.

Plus, since Minnesota plays in the NFC North, it will remain at the bottom of the division even with a top selection. Trading down simply provides the Vikings with more opportunities to gain ground faster on Chicago, Detroit and Green Bay.

Regardless, 2012 isn't going to be a significantly improved season for the Vikings, however, this builds for 2013 and beyond.

Long-Term Future

As they sit right now, the Vikings are easily three years away from contending for a Wild Card spot in the NFC. With other non-divisional conference foes like Dallas, Philadelphia, New York, Seattle, Arizona, Carolina and Atlanta all vying for two Wild Card spots, Minnesota has a lot of work to do.

Fortunately, the option of trading down can speed up the rebuilding process and shorten the realistic odds of fighting for a playoff spot. The NFC North is arguably the league's most talented division, so add the Lions and Bears to that list of Wild Card playoff contenders, and the Vikings need to improve faster.

We know that the No. 3 pick is worth quite a bit, so Minnesota would get numerous selections to work with if they traded down. Through the 2012 draft, the Vikings could add depth to the secondary and offensive line and then spruce up the receivers in 2013.

The biggest issue here, though, is whether Christian Ponder remains the future of the franchise. There's no doubt the man has potential, but we can find out a lot more about his development once he is surrounded by more talent.

In the end, the draft is about building for and sustaining the future. In order to reduce the rebuilding process and lengthen the years as a contender, the Vikings need to trade down, which in turn will provide that road to the Super Bowl.

John Rozum on Twitter.