NFL Draft 2011: Did Minnesota Vikings Reach at No. 12 with Christian Ponder?

What in the name of Tommy Kramer is going on?

With the 12th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select...quarterback Christian Ponder? Really?

No, really? Ponder, a three-year starter at the Florida State University and a projected second-round pick or possible late first-round pick, was the fourth overall quarterback picked behind Cam Newton (No. 1), Jake Locker (No. 8) and Blaine Gabbert (No. 10).

The Vikings, who two seasons ago were on the brink of a appearing in the Super Bowl, fell off the map last season in part to injuries suffered to quarterback Brett Favre and receiver Sidney Rice. The result: fourth place in the NFC North with a 6-10 record.

With Favre knocked out for the last two and half games of the season, rookie quarterback Joe Webb took the reins, leading the Vikings to an upset win over the upstart and eventual NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles.  

Quarterback was a need that Minnesota at some point needed to address, but Ponder at No. 12 may have been a bit of a reach.

Florida State has produced Heisman- and National Championship-winning quarterbacks like Chris Weinke and Charlie Ward, yet they haven't had a bona-fide starting NFL quarterback since Danny Kanell lead the New York Giants to a division title in 1997.

No one had Ponder being selected in the top 15, let alone No. 12 overall, which came as a shock to football analysts as well as Viking fans attending the team's draft party.

Ponder has the skills to be a solid quarterback in the NFL, but as the 12th overall pick, the Vikings are pretty much investing their future in a quarterback who has a history of injuries.

Ponder will also be facing Julius Peppers and the Chicago Bears twice a year, the same Bears who ended the career of Brett Favre.

Years down the road, Minnesota may come off as brilliant for taking Ponder 12th overall, but in the meantime most football analysts would agree that the Vikings reached. Like or not, Christian Ponder is the quarterback of the future.