By Chris Schad and Luke Inman
As the Minnesota Vikings look to retool their roster, a key point of the offseason was to give the Vikings’ passing attack some teeth. Part of that process has begun with the acquisition of Mike Wallace, but there’s still room to add one more playmaker to an offense that ranked 28th through the air in 2014.
The wide receiver position currently starts with Wallace. Acquired for a dirt cheap price, he gives the offense a deep threat that the Vikings lacked a season ago. While much has been made of his departure from Miami, he should fit right in with Norv Turner’s offense and could play the “Alvin Harper” role that may yield inconsistent but explosive results.
The Vikings also have their hopes set on a repeat performance from Charles Johnson. After being plucked off Cleveland’s practice squad, he climbed the depth chart and finished the season as the top receiver by default. Referred to as “Our best receiver by far,” by Turner earlier this offseason, there could be a true breakout season on deck for the Grand Valley State product.
From there, the picture gets cloudy. Cordarrelle Patterson couldn’t live up to his preseason hype, and there have been whispers that he’s been on the trading block this spring. Meanwhile, Jarius Wright and Adam Thielen round out the group as decent depth receivers but likely won’t have Viking fans dubbing them “Purple Megatron.”
Heading into the draft, the Vikings could use one more receiver to round this group out. While Alabama’s Amari Cooper and West Virginia’s Kevin White are likely to be off the board by the 11th pick, the Vikings could get a reliable red zone target by selecting Louisville’s DeVante Parker or Missouri’s Dorial Green-Beckham.
Luke’s Top-5 WR
1) Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri
Nobody shares the Megatron qualities in this draft class like DGB who towers over his opponents with his 6-foot-6 frame to pair up with his sneaky fluid athleticism. Much like Randy Moss, DGB will be pushed down on draft day because of major red flags and off the field issues. However, unlike Moss, DGB has multiple domestic abuse charges and has been in court for the intent to sell and distribute large quantities of marijuana. Teams know what he can bring to the table with a big play threat waiting to happen at any given moment, but when it boils down to it, will any team risk their first-round selection on this troubled prospect that was kicked off not one, but two programs?
2) Amari Cooper, Alabama
Arguably the safest player in the draft that plays a special skill-set position, Cooper will come into the league as a day-one starter — something that can rarely be said about a rookie wide out. His football intangibles, instincts and understanding of where to be and how to get there are uncanny for a player this young. Cooper can make any quarterback look good with his precise route running, soft hands and run-after-the-catch speed, which is why he will be the first receiver drafted.
3) Devante Parker, Louisville
Not many can come into the league and win a one-on-one matchup with any defensive back right off the bat for my money than Parker. His 80-inch wingspan and highpointing ability make it nearly impossible for defenders to have a chance in jump ball situations down the field and in the redzone. Due to the fact Parker missed seven games last season, it’s easy for the mainstream media to overlook him over a combine killer like Kevin White, but if I’m starting a franchise, Parker is hard to pass up on, especially in a league that craves big plays down the field. Parker is equally good with the ball in his hands and has home-run speed and game breaking agility to go along with his skill-set. It’s just a shame no one gives him much credit for these small nuances of his game.
4) Kevin White, West Virginia
White burst onto the scene last season for the Mountaineers where he thrived in a pass-happy attack and quickly emerged as their number one option. White has the prototypical size at 6-foot-3 and blazing speed (4.34), which he showed off at the combine. A big-bodied receiver with his kind of speed should be a lock to go in the first 10 picks. However, after watching the tape, I see a learning curve for White as he adjusts to the speed and nature of the NFL. After breaking his games down I came away concerned with his ability to separate from his defender on short to intermediate routes, lacking the explosion in and out of his breaks that his 40-time would suggest.
5) Tyler Lockett, Kansas State
Your friends will laugh at you when you tell them Lockett will be a force to be reckoned with in the NFL as his puny 5-foot-10 stature would suggest he isn’t cut out for the big leagues. That’s no news to Lockett, though, as he has heard the haters loud and clear his whole football life and has done nothing but prove them wrong every step of the way. I, along with numerous scouts and coaches, left the Senior Bowl baffled by Lockett as he was nearly unrecoverable during the week long event. His sudden footwork in his cuts and dynamic routes make him truly special as a slot receiver, but he is much more than that. Lockett has the ability to win on the outside with his ability to beat press coverage and from there has blazing speed (4.40) to get over the top of the secondary. Many people are convinced Lockett doesn’t really know just how small he is, as he wins jump balls and contested catches more than his measurables says he should. Go watch a Kansas State game from last season and you’ll see Lockett make a big time play at a crucial point in the fourth-quarter when his team needed him the most.
While those are my top-five wideouts from this year’s class, as Schad mentioned when dissecting the Vikings’ depth chart, it seems more and more unlikely that the front office will spend another early-round pick on the position given their current mix of young and veteran talent. General manager Rick Spielman has lived by the philosophy of taking the best available player, and in a deep and rich class of wide receivers there will be a moment during draft weekend when Spielman has a talented prospect for the taking. Here are four realistic wideouts that make sense for the team as the draft progresses in the mid-to-late rounds.
Fourth Round: Justin Hardy, ECU
Hardy is getting the measurables-matter treatment and is being tossed down draft boards because of his 5-foot-10 length and sub-par speed. Don’t let that fool you, though, as Hardy was one of the best receivers in all of college football, posting up huge numbers on a week-to-week basis and catching double digit passes almost every game. No, Hardy doesn’t have the long lanky frame or the stopwatch speed, but Hardy is deceptively quick in-and-out of his routes and runs hard and with a purpose and a tough football mentality. Hardy possess great instincts and understands how to flat out get open working back to the ball with force. Hardy also catches everything in sight as his numbers would suggest, proving if you can just get the ball in his vicinity he will do the rest. Receivers coach George Stewart told me he prefers big-bodied guys that he can mold, but a smart, savvy pass-catcher that has a passion for the game and knows how to get open can’t be far behind.
Fifth Round: Darren Waller, Georgia Tech
Now this is more up Coach Stewart’s alley as the monster 6-foot-6 Waller is a beast of a man on the outside who can go up and attack the ball. Waller comes from a triple-option offense at Georgia Tech and has a long way to go before he will play full time as he learns the nuances of a full route tree, but coach Stewart will gladly take the talents of this big man and do what he does best, similar to Terrell Owens and Roddy White. Most importantly, Waller fits the bill as a big target for Teddy Bridgewater that can go up and get it. Having someone who can consistently strike fear in the back end of defenses deep down the field is the missing link to Norv Turner’s vertical playbook, and with Coach Stewart’s help, Waller could develop into that guy.
Sixth Round: Vince Mayle, Washington State
Mayle doesn’t carry the size that Waller does but is still a tall (6-foot-3) and long athlete who understands how to win down the field. Mayle was deep into his basketball career when he switched sports and gave football a shot only to find out he has the raw talent to keep up with the big boys. Mayle is sneaky fast and is a smooth glider who gets down the field quickly. From there he uses his basketball background to put himself in the best position to win going up and over his defender. Getting a consistent deep threat is still a huge priority for the Vikings’ receiving core and more importantly, a guy who can win the tough one-on-one contested jump balls.
Seventh Round: Deontay Greenberry, Houston
Want the steal of the draft? Greenberry could be it. The California native destroyed his high school competition so much he was named Mr. Football in the state but shocked the world when he passed up on scholarships to schools like Notre Dame, USC, Florida State and UCLA and chose the University of Houston. He started from day one as a true freshman and put up solid numbers along the way until bad quarterback play held him out of the stardom and the bright lights of the national stage. Greenberry is tall, long and fast and can go up and attack the ball at its highest point. Not just a deep threat, Greenberry can do it all from short-to-intermediate routes and has shown a good display of courage going over the middle. Greenberry is the guy who will wow you with a spectacular one-handed catch a game, and make it look effortless. Coming from a smaller school that doesn’t get a lot of love on a larger scale, blended with his declined statistics later in his college career, and people have slept on him during the pre-draft process.