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Minnesota Vikings - NFC North
Arkansas State SS Tyrell Johnson
Arkansas State SS Tyrell Johnson
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Apr 25, 2008

Minnesota Vikings - NFC North, 2008 Draft Selections & Prospects

Minnesota Vikings

The Draft Was ... All about Jared Allen. The Vikings did a good job with the rest of the draft, but getting the pass rushing superstar from Kansas City was like getting a top five overall pick. They paid for him, and it was worth it. They only had five picks, but they might have nailed the first four.
Best Value Pick: John David Booty, QB USC. 5th round. While not a special players, he's an immediate upgrade over anything the team has in place.
Biggest Reach: Jaymar Johnson, WR Jackson State. 6th round. The team needed a receiver. Johnson is a receiver. Nothing more. It'll be a shock if he makes the team.
They Should've ... Taken Oregon QB Dennis Dixon in the fifth round along with Booty. Minnesota needs a quarterback, and while Booty is safe, Dixon could be spectacular. It would be a law of numbers theory; one of the two would pan out.

#

Pick  
12 43 2nd Round (from Philadelphia)    Tyrell Johnson, SS Arkansas State
Kind of like a critically acclaimed underground movie that's finally getting a wide release, Johnson goes from being a star that most college football junkies knew about for the last four years to a possible big-value selection. A tremendous starter from day one, Johnson can do it all with 363 career tackles and 13 interceptions to go along with good leadership skills. Forget about the stigma of playing in the Sun Belt; he showed up against the big boys, too. A huge hitter with fantastic speed, timing a 4.44 at the Combine, he just needs a little bit of coaching to put it all together and be a possible star. He'll be an instant impact player
CFN Projection: Second Round    CFN Position Rank: 2
2 137 5th Round (from trade)  John David Booty, QB USC
When he first came to USC as a 17-year-old he was expected to be the next big thing following in the footsteps of Carson Palmer. He got hurt and was never able to overtake some guy named Leinart, who went on to become one of the greatest college quarterbacks of all-time. He turned into a nice passer, but not a special one, and he struggled way too much when the line wasn't giving him 12 days to throw. He's not mobile, doesn't have the most accurate deep arm, and has a rock-hard ceiling on his talent level. Even so, he'll be a 12-year pro as a solid No. 2 quarterback who can come in from time to time and keep the ship from sinking.
CFN Projection: Late Third Round      
CFN Position Rank: 10
17 152 5th Round (from trade)    Letroy Guion, DT Florida State
For a player who's supposed to get by on his athleticism, he didn't do a whole bunch at FSU to show it off. He looks more like a big end than a tackle and will likely be more useful in a 3-4 scheme. Because of his lateral quickness and because of his ability to clean things up when they come to him, he'll be a decent backup. He was one of the players suspended from the bowl game for academic issues.
CFN Projection: Third Round     
CFN Position Rank: 14
21 187 6th Round John Sullivan, C/OG Notre Dame
A mauler who'll be great for the running game, he's a tough blocker who was steady for four years and does a great job when he doesn't have to get on the move. At 6-3 and 301 pounds, he's a perfect-sized center and can even be moved to guard if needed. A great quarterback for the line, he's a smart player who doesn't make mistakes. His problem is his athleticism; he's not going to do much on the move.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round 
CFN Position Rank: 5 (as a C)
27 193 6th Round   Jaymar Johnson, WR Jackson State
He has good height, mediocre speed, and will only make it if he can be a decent returner. He's a strong, tough player who will go across the middle and fight for the ball. He's not a good enough athlete to overcome the mediocre competition he faced. He has upside, but he's not nearly talented enough to deserve a draft pick.

CFN Projection: Free Agent  
CFN Position Rank: NR


 



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