Draft Recap
The Vikings entered the draft with two first round picks, thanks to the Percy Harvin deal, and added another first round selection in a trade with the Patriots. Those three picks should all make an immediate impact. Florida DT Sharrif Floyd was a great value pick at No. 23 overall and will add some much needed youth and explosiveness to the aging D-Line. FSU CB Xavier Rhodes steps right in to a huge area of need and has the tools to become a pro-bowl caliber player. With the pick from New England, the Vikings took the wide receiver with the most upside in this draft, Tennessee’s Cordarrelle Patterson. Later, the Vikes added some depth… and a punter.
Fantasy Impact
Floyd and Rhodes will give the defense an immediate boost and make this defense a solid fantasy option. They also added quality depth to their linebacking corps with a couple of players out of Penn State: Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti.
Cardarrelle Patterson is a boom or bust player; he has all the raw skills to dominate, but has been inconsistent and is also inexperienced with just one season playing at the FBS level. He will, however, have a solid mentor and running-mate in Greg Jennings and if Patterson “buys in,” he will be a top-20 fantasy wideout in no time.
The addition of Patterson should have a positive impact on scuffling QB Christian Ponder, who now has two legitimate threats on the outside. If the passing game can loosen up opposing defenses, RB Adrian Peterson just might get those 2,500 yards he’s shooting for.
Draft Results
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 | Sharrif Floyd | DT | Florida |
| 1 | 25 | Xavier Rhodes | CB | Florida St. |
| 1 | 29 | Cordarrelle Patterson | WR | Tennessee |
| 4 | 120 | Gerald Hodges | LB | Penn State |
| 5 | 155 | Jeff Locke | P | UCLA |
| 6 | 196 | Jeff Baca | G | UCLA |
| 7 | 213 | Michael Mauti | LB | Penn State |
| 7 | 214 | Travis Bond | G | UNC |
| 7 | 229 | Everett Dawkins | DT | Florida St. |