Minnesota Vikings: How Trading for Mike Wallace Impacts the Draft Plans at WR
The Minnesota Vikings haven't exactly made any big splashes during the first week of NFL free agency, with the only major move being a trade with the Miami Dolphins to pick up wide receiver Mike Wallace.
In order to make room for Wallace, the Vikings released veteran Greg Jennings, who was the team's leading receiver in 2014.
In replacing Jennings with Wallace, the Vikings have added a true No. 1 receiver and given Minnesota the deep threat that Norv Turner offenses have customarily had. While they gain speed and big-play ability in Wallace, they lose reliability and veteran leadership in Jennings.
We'll call it a win for the Vikings, as Jennings certainly hadn't lived up to the five-year, $45 million deal he signed with Minnesota two years ago
So what does the addition of Wallace mean for the Vikings in the upcoming draft? For starters, it decreases the likelihood that Minnesota uses the 11th overall choice on a wideout. While it's still not out of the question if one of Amari Cooper, Kevin White or DeVante Parker remains on the board, the acquisition of Wallace at least assuages the fear that the Vikings will enter the 2015 season without a No. 1 wide receiver.
The Vikings, like all NFL teams, like to play things close to the vest when it comes to the draft. Now, with the addition of Wallace, anyone who tells you that they know what Minnesota is going to do in the first round is kidding themselves. They're guessing. There's certainly nothing wrong with that; it's part of the fun of the draft process.
Offensive line? Perhaps, there's clearly a need there. Defensive back? Sure, why not get another top-flight cornerback to pair with Xavier Rhodes? Linebacker? Adding another first-round stud to play bookends with Anthony Barr is pretty enticing. An edge-rusher? This draft seems to be packed with them, and Brian Robison is getting on in years and coming off a disappointing season.
Wide receiver? Hmm. Before the trade for Wallace it was a drastic need. It's still a need, but probably no longer in the "drastic" category. Again, if Cooper, White or Parker are available with the 11th pick, you certainly have to think about it.
Let's assume the Vikings go elsewhere in the first round. With a wide receiving corps that are still a little too hit-or-miss, one would assume that drafting a wideout would still be a priority between Rounds 2 and 4.
Here's a look at some of the players who may pique the Vikings' interest in those rounds.
2nd Round: Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma
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OK, don't get too excited—this one is probably a pipe dream.
You just never know how far down red flags will drag a player in the NFL draft. Green-Beckham has been labeled with character issues after being tossed from the team at Missouri and sitting out the 2014 season after transferring to Oklahoma.
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah calls Green-Beckham "the ultimate boom-or-bust guy in this draft class," according to Bryan Fischer of NFL.com.
At 6'5", 237 pounds, Green-Beckham's upside is off the charts, and his potential is probably too lofty for him to still be on the board when the Vikings choose with their second-round pick, the 45th overall choice.
You can never count out Vikings general manager Rick Spielman when he wants a guy, though; he's certainly shown the ability to move up to go and get him. He's traded his way into the first round three years in a row to get Harrison Smith, Cordarrelle Patterson and Teddy Bridgewater.
The fact that Patterson has been so slow to develop might make Spielman a little gun shy when it comes to drafting another so-called "boom-or-bust" guy at the same position. Let's hope not. Green-Beckham has far more star potential than any other player on this list.
2nd Round: Breshad Perriman, Central Florida
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At 6'2", 212 pounds, Breshad Perriman out of Central Florida is another receiver who might have first-round talent but could fall because of some question marks about his game.
Perriman has the size and speed to be a dominant player but at this point isn't a great route-runner and has too many drops on his tape.
Lance Zierlein had this to say about him in his scouting report for NFL.com:
"Raw in his routes, relying on speed and athleticism over any precision. Rounds routes and is inconsistent at selling and finishing routes that don't involve him as primary target. Sits and waits on the throw rather than working back to it. Redirected in his routes more than expected for receiver his size. Disappointing hands that might always haunt him. Slow catch readiness, allowing too many throws to beat him up. Too much double catching and his focus drops over second half of the season were maddening to watch.
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His appeal is tantalizing, though, and if Perriman aces his pro day on March 25, he may jump into the first round. He's as good as any receiver in this draft after the catch and has big-play potential dripping from him.
Minnesota's hesitation with Perriman might be that he sounds a little too familiar. A supreme athlete who's great running with the ball but needs some work on his route running? The Vikings already have Cordarrelle Patterson on their roster, so if they're concerned at all with Perriman's ability to get open in the NFL, they will probably stay away.
2nd Round: Devin Smith, Ohio State
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At 6'0", 195 pounds, Devin Smith doesn't necessarily wow you in a combine setting. His 40-yard-dash time of 4.42 seconds is fast, but not breathtaking.
No, it's out of the actual football field where Smith does things that can make you catch your breath.
Combine times aside, Smith's game speed is as fast as they come, and he seemed to come up huge on the big stage for Ohio State. He averaged an absurd 28.2 yards a catch as senior and took 12 of his 33 catches to the end zone.
Smith will have to prove he's more than just a deep-ball threat in the NFL, but much of that can be attributed to the offense he played on in college. Smith's speed off the line and ability to lose defenders should make him a player who can make catches at all three levels in the NFL.
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2nd Round: Phillip Dorsett, Miami
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You want to take the top off of a defense?
Line up Phillip Dorsett in the slot on the same side of the field as Mike Wallace. Yikes.
Dorsett, the 5'10", 185-pound streak out of the University of Miami, opened a lot of eyes while being one of the best players all week at the Senior Bowl, according to Todd McShay of ESPN.com, and then topped that off by running a blistering 4.33 in the 40-yard dash at the combine.
Dorsett averaged a silly 24.2 yards per catch during his senior season, and over half of his 36 receptions went for over 25 yards. Scoring 10 touchdowns on just 36 catches is a pretty good indication that you're a big-play receiver.
Dorsett's size is certainly a question mark, and it remains to be seen if he can be an effective slot receiver in the NFL. He can play on the outside, but his value in the NFL would obviously be a lot higher if he can prove to be effective from a couple of different areas.
Norv Turner has always loved a vertical passing game, and adding Dorsett to the mix would certainly give the Vikings another deep threat.
3rd Round: Rashad Greene, Florida State
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Jameis Winston's favorite target in college might not be coming to the NFL with quite the same hype as his college quarterback, but Rashad Greene will be a steal for whatever team drafts him.
At 5'11", 182 pounds, he's on the small side, but he proved over and over again in college that he's an elite football player. He knows how to get open right off of the line of scrimmage and is willing to sacrifice his body in tight spaces. He played on the big stage all the time at Florida State and never shied away from the moment.
Greene had nine catches for 147 yards in the 2014 BCS National Championship win over Auburn. He followed that up with a spectacular senior season, setting Florida State records with 99 catches for 1,365 yards.
Greene has that "it" factor on the football field. He simply has the look of a great player. He doesn't have elite speed, but he has elite savvy when it comes to getting open and making plays.
Greene might have to muscle up a bit to be able to take on NFL defenders, but his skill level as a receiver isn't up for debate. He'd be a great addition to the Vikings receiving corps.
3rd Round: Stefon Diggs, Maryland
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A highly touted, 5-star recruit out of high school, Diggs had three very impressive seasons at Maryland, although he did miss time during both of the last two seasons with injuries.
Diggs was a second-team All-Big Ten selection this past season after catching 62 passes for 792 yards and five touchdowns. The 6'0", 195-pound Diggs is an elite athlete who can be explosive after the catch.
Although he's entering the draft after his junior season, Diggs is a polished route-runner who excels at getting separation from defenders. He'll have to prove that he has the strength to battle free from NFL cornerbacks, but his exceptional athleticism should help him.
If the Vikings decide to draft different positions in the first two rounds, Diggs would be a good addition in the third round.
3rd Round: Chris Conley, Georgia
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Georgia wideout Chris Conley opened up a lot of eyes at the combine in Indianapolis.
The 6'2", 213-pound physical specimen put on a show, wowing scouts with a 4.35 time in the 40-yard dash and followed that up by setting records for receivers in both the broad jump and vertical jump, according to Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports.
What might pique the Vikings' interest just as much as those ridiculous physical feats is the fact that Conley was the SEC scholar-athlete of the year. Conley is a well-spoken young man and has the high character that the Vikings have been targeting of late.
Conley didn't have an eye-popping career at Georgia, catching 36 passes for 657 yards as a senior, but he's the type of player that should blossom at the next level. With extraordinary athletic ability combined with high-end intelligence, Conley could be a steal for any team that drafts him.
4th Round: Tre McBride, William & Mary
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Tre McBride might have played college football against less-than-elite competition, but his prospects as a pro are certainly big-time.
At 6'0", 210 pounds, McBride dominated at William & Mary and has the complete package of skills to be a great pro. He doesn't have blazing speed, but his 4.41 time in the 40-yard dash at the combine proved he's plenty fast enough.
McBride will have to improve his route running at the NFL level, as he's going to be matched up against far better athletes than he's used to playing against.
What he has going for him are great hands; he makes a lot of spectacular catches. Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com wrote that McBride was the best prospect at the East-West Shrine game and noted that he had great games when he did face off against FCS competition.
Like Conley in the previous slide, McBride is another high-character player that the Vikings are trying to stock their roster full of. He'd be a great get in the fourth round.
4th Round: Darren Waller, Georgia Tech
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Darren Waller is another in a long line of big receivers out of Georgia Tech. At 6'6", 238 pounds, he has the ability to be a red-zone nightmare for defenses in the NFL.
Waller has very good speed for such a big guy, clocking in at 4.46 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He uses his size to his advantage and has become very adept at boxing out smaller defenders and plucking the ball at its highest point.
Waller will certainly have a learning curve in the NFL, as he comes out of Georgia Tech's simple offense and will have to figure out how to run in a more complex offense. He's also going to have to learn how to play at a quicker pace, as he's going to have to be able to get open within the first seven yards of a route.
Waller is a high-risk, high-reward type of player. He might be a kid that flames out in the NFL, but if he works hard and taps into his potential, he could be a high-end receiver.
4th Round: Ty Montgomery, Stanford
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At 6'0", 221 pounds, Ty Montgomery is a wide receiver who's built like a running back. He was an All-American return man in 2013, averaging 31.2 yards per kick return, with two touchdowns.
Montgomery doesn't have the look of a typical wideout with his muscly frame, but his potential as an NFL player is very high. He's a sharp kid who will benefit tremendously when football is a full-time occupation.
Montgomery put together back-to-back 61-catch seasons for the Cardinal over the last two seasons and was a dominant kick returner. He'll have to work on his ball-catching skills, as he had too many drops in college.
Montgomery is a good athlete with great feet, and he could turn into a productive receiver in the NFL if given the opportunity.
Again, he's another high-character player who could excel on special teams as a rookie.
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