RealGM Draft Day Thread

[revprodeji]

My understanding is that Beatty can only play LT not much of a RT and MN did a ton of research/work on Loadholt and think he can jump into the RT right away.

Harvin will not be our #1. our #1 is Peterson, our #2 is Peterson, our #3 is a pass. Harvin's speed with Berrian's speed will hopefully keep safeties back and add a spark on special teams. We did not take him to make him a #1, we took him to be a poor-man reggie bush. Our special teams was a sad situation, much worse than the QB play even.

[PhilipNelsonFan]

My understanding is that Beatty can only play LT not much of a RT and MN did a ton of research/work on Loadholt and think he can jump into the RT right away.

Harvin will not be our #1. our #1 is Peterson, our #2 is Peterson, our #3 is a pass. Harvin's speed with Berrian's speed will hopefully keep safeties back and add a spark on special teams. We did not take him to make him a #1, we took him to be a poor-man reggie bush. Our special teams was a sad situation, much worse than the QB play even.

rev, you need to watch some tape of the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. Loadholt got destroyed by smaller, quicker DEs that weren't even that technically sound. And he never really improved for his senior year because he thought he was as good as he ever could be. He has obvious flaws and he's uncoachable.

I'm not talking No. 1 option with Harvin, I'm talking No. 1 WR. He's not, and he'll never be. He's fast, but he's too slight. And it's never a good sign when you may have to use your No. 2 WR as a second-string RB. It was a reach with much better options available, even if their 40 times weren't otherworldly.

[revprodeji]

small quick de===lt
bigger run stopper=RT (*anything is an upgrade over cook) For some reason the vikings staff loves him. Icey talked about it.

Harvin does not need to be our #1 WR, Berrian is. I have never heard someone call Harvin "slight" he looks ripped. I agree it was a gamble.

[Worm Guts]

And it's never a good sign when you may have to use your No. 2 WR as a second-string RB.

Why? Versatility is usually a positive. He's not a prototypical receiver or running back but he was the most explosive player in the draft. You find ways to get him the ball and watch him make plays.

[Icness]

And it's never a good sign when you may have to use your No. 2 WR as a second-string RB.

Why? Versatility is usually a positive. He's not a prototypical receiver or running back but he was the most explosive player in the draft. You find ways to get him the ball and watch him make plays.

The question you need to be asking is, "Can my coaching staff figure out how to use him without taking away from Peterson and Taylor?"

I've always seen Harvin as a Reggie Bush type of player. Get him 8-10 carries serving as a change-of-pace RB or 3rd down RB. LIne him up in the slot as the #4 WR and throw him 4-6 passes on bubble screens or clear-out crosses/slants. Have him return punts. Get him a direct snap or two.

One of the reasons he was so successful (aside from his talent) is that at UF the opponent was more worried about Tebow than Harvin. That safety who will shade to him in the NFL wasn't there in college. That OLB is going to sneak out and chip him at times, something that he's never seen before. He's never really run routes before, he just ran straight drags or pitch-and-catch plays. That is going to be an adjustment. And it's not like this team has had any sort of success nurturing and developing WRs. I'm afraid they're going to use him the way the Bears use Percy Harvin and that is not his game.

I'm not saying he can't adjust or that the Vikings can't create ways to use him effectively, but it's a huge risk when you've got the best RB in the league and a defense that thrives with a ball control offense setting it up. Pair that with his attitude, his off-field conduct and long injury history, and that's a risk I'm not taking if I'm the VIkings brass.

On Loadholt--he's really going to struggle against 3-4 fronts where the team has a credible pass rushing threat on his side. I love him as an in-line run blocking force, though he doesn't locate at the second level well. He'll be good enough against most 4-3 LDEs. They took him 2 rounds too high IMO, but that doesn't mean he won't help. They locked onto him a couple months ago as the best lineman after Britton who does what they want of a RT.

[Worm Guts]

And it's never a good sign when you may have to use your No. 2 WR as a second-string RB.

Why? Versatility is usually a positive. He's not a prototypical receiver or running back but he was the most explosive player in the draft. You find ways to get him the ball and watch him make plays.

The question you need to be asking is, "Can my coaching staff figure out how to use him without taking away from Peterson and Taylor?"

I've always seen Harvin as a Reggie Bush type of player. Get him 8-10 carries serving as a change-of-pace RB or 3rd down RB. LIne him up in the slot as the #4 WR and throw him 4-6 passes on bubble screens or clear-out crosses/slants. Have him return punts. Get him a direct snap or two.

One of the reasons he was so successful (aside from his talent) is that at UF the opponent was more worried about Tebow than Harvin. That safety who will shade to him in the NFL wasn't there in college. That OLB is going to sneak out and chip him at times, something that he's never seen before. He's never really run routes before, he just ran straight drags or pitch-and-catch plays. That is going to be an adjustment. And it's not like this team has had any sort of success nurturing and developing WRs. I'm afraid they're going to use him the way the Bears use Percy Harvin and that is not his game.

I'm not saying he can't adjust or that the Vikings can't create ways to use him effectively, but it's a huge risk when you've got the best RB in the league and a defense that thrives with a ball control offense setting it up. Pair that with his attitude, his off-field conduct and long injury history, and that's a risk I'm not taking if I'm the VIkings brass.

.

That's the thing, there's so many ways to get him the ball and I don't think it takes a ton of creativity. If you view him as strictly a receiver there's going to be problem, but if you play him in the slot and/or as a third down back, he's going to be great. The key is moving him around, but he can definitely fit into the offense the Vikings already run. The Vikings throw a ton of short passes, now they finally have someone who can turn them into long gains. Having Adrian Peterson only benefits since the attention won't be on him, Harvin will kill most defenders one-on-one.
There's issues with health and attitude, but I'd say he has more potential to impact the Vikings offense than anyone else that was on the board. I guess I have a really hard time seeing Harvin bust because of on the field stuff.