Minnesota Vikings - NFC North

Minnesota Vikings - NFC North, 2009 Draft Selections & Prospects

Minnesota Vikings

- 2009 NFL Draft Breakdown and Analysis
1st Round | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | 4th Round | 5th Round | 6th Rd | 7th Rd

- CFN 2009 Draft Central & Team-by-Team Picks and Analysis

#	Pick
22	22	1st Round  Percy Harvin, WR Florida 5-11, 195 (Jr.) A smaller, better running version of Jeremy Maclin, Harvin was an elite playmaker when he was able to stay on the field. Oh sure, Tim Tebow had the speech and has been the signature star, but Florida doesn’t win the SEC title or the national title without Harvin. While he’s not all that big, he’s strong, well-built, and tough. However, he gets hurt way too often to be a top target to build a passing game around. He’ll have to be a complementary weapon who’ll do a little of everything for an offense, and he’ll likely be tried out and used as a returner. A top offensive coordinator will drool at the possibilities, and there will be some big games when Harvin explodes, but he’ll have a tough time being consistent and he’s not going to stay healthy. CFN Value Rank: First Round    CFN Position Rank: 2
22	54	2nd Round   Phil Loadholt, OT Oklahoma 6-7, 335 Loadholt is a classic case of a prospect getting a little negative momentum and then seeing it steamroll. It’s like scouts are looking for the problems in his game rather than focus on what he is and the good things that he did. No, he’s not the most nimble of tackles, but he proved he could keep up and thrive in the OU up-tempo offense and did a great job of keeping Sam Bradford upright. The positive is his size … he’s huge, and not in a doughy sort of way. He’s tall, long, and fantastic at getting his arms extended and punching defenders just enough to give the quarterback the extra half-click needed. Yes, he has problems against the fastest of speed rushers, but it’s not like he doesn’t win his share of battles. He might be pigeonholed as a right side blocker because his lack of foot quickness, but he’ll be better than expected on the left. CFN Value Rank: Second Round    CFN Position Rank: 5
22	86	3rd Round Asher Allen, CB Georgia 5-10, 195 (Jr.) Allen has a good all-around combination of skills. He’s fast, running a 4.48 at the Combine, strong, coming up with 22 reps on the bench, and is tougher against the run than most corners in the draft. He doesn’t miss a stop in the open field and he holds his own against the bigger receivers. On the down side, he’s not all that quick and has problems with the blazers. He’s good enough to be a starter in the right scheme, and he’s a lock to find a role as a nickel or dime back, but he’s missing the top-end wheels to be a No. 1 corner. CFN Value Rank: Fourth Round     CFN Position Rank: 12
14	150	5th Round (from Washington) Jasper Brinkley, LB South Carolina  6-2, 252 Any and all concerns about his athleticism following a knee injury were answered at the Combine when he ran a 4.67, vertical jumped 35.5”, and was more than fine in the shuttle and cone drills. While he doesn’t always play as big as he is and he’ll have to be more physical at the next level, he’s more than a year removed from the knee problem and could let it rip once he gets into an NFL camp. On his raw skills alone he’s more than worth the risk as a top middle prospect, and he could be fantastic in a 3-4 system when he’d be able to move around in space. CFN Value Rank: Third Round    CFN Position Rank: 3
22	231	7th Round Jamarca Sanford, Ole Miss SS 5-10, 215  With a good blend of strength and speed, he has the raw athleticism to become a major factor in a secondary if he’s in the right situation. Not big enough to be a regular in run support, and not polished enough in pass coverage, he’s a tweener who might end up making a team as a nickel and dime back. While he had some problems off the field, he was a leader on it making things happen all over the place as an ultra-aggressive, try-hard playmaker. However, he’ll have to shine on special teams to stick. CFN Value Rank: Seventh Round    CFN Position Rank: 24

2008

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 Value Rank: 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 Value Rank: 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 Value Rank: 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 Value Rank: 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 Value Rank: Free Agent   CFN Position Rank: NR