Feb/091630
The Minnesota Vikings Draft Needs
The pink elephant in the room is QB. What will the Vikings do at QB? In today’s NFL you have a short window to be great, then a window to rebuild so you can have a short window to be great again.
All Day isn’t getting younger. With LT’s latest woes it’s safe to say an RB has 3-8 great years in him. With a run heavy offense and an all around superior, but aging D, the Vikings window in now 2…maybe 3 years.
Let’s not forget going into last year and the year before expectations were high with the Vikings and they failed to deliver. To this point the team has underperformed in a very weak NFC North Division.
With the league’s #1 rusher you can only blame the offensive play caller or the quarterback to why the offense shuts down in big games (and little one’s, ie. Detroit twice when most teams where winning by 20).
I can’t reiterate the play calling failures enough when you consider having the #1 rusher. The rusher makes the passer better. When teams put 8 in the box 90% of the time you have to make smart throws, you have to make play action throws – where were all the play action throws?
The Vikings were the 25th rated passing team in 2008, Detroit was 24th.
So diehards will argue T Jack will work in 2010, but these are same ignorant people who thought Troy Williamson would replace Moss (just give him more time, they say). But we don’t have time. The window of opportunity is closing.
With that said, here are the 2009 Minnesota Vikings Draft Needs.
The first two you can’t really draft for in 2009, I’d be looking to trade a #1 or #2 pick to get them.
QB – Don’t draft one, you don’t have time. Find someone in Free Agency while the window is open. As we learned with Jared Allen, a proven veteran is worth far more than any 1st round pick.
Unrestricted Free Agents:
Warner, Garcia
Trading a 1st or 2nd Round Pick for guys I would target who are FA’s in 2011 and their team may not want them:
Hasselbeck – I would go after Hasselbeck pending a back check
Thigpen (how did we let him get away? Oh, thanks Brad Childress)
Remember this is a 2 year solution you need to address now while you have a window of opportunity.
If I were the Vikings I would be pursuing Hasselbeck and/or Thigpen asap.
Shut Down Corner – Antwoine Winfield only has a couple more years and the Vikings are one shut down corner away from being unbelievably great. With the Viking front line, a healthy LB core and hard hitting safeties, just imagine what taking out both WR threats each game would mean for this team?
Will the Vikings make a run for Nnamdi Asomugha?
What you can draft.
Kick Returner / WR – If the Vikings don’t trade away the 1st round pick for a QB, I’d look for them to consider filling one of their biggest glaring needs, the kick return game. The Vikings have no return threat and last year’s hope broke his leg half way through the season in the most disgusting way.
If Jeremy Maclin (doubtful) or Percy Harvin (probable) is available here in the 1st, I take him. A slot solution to help your passing game ala DeSean Jackson, ala Steve Breaston. A solid threat to return kicks and punts. You fill two needs.
OT and/or C – Will Birk be back? What about the right side of the line? Do you move Cook to his college position of Center? Does Bryant McKinnie run block or just sort of stand up and whiff at a guy while he looks confused? Isn’t he about one strike away from being suspended for a year?
Punter – Think Eagles Playoff Game...Please can we find someone with hangtime? Or do we have to sit through another year of our punter kicking long line drives 20 yds in front of the coverage? I’d take 5-10 less yards of kicking distance for a higher chance of no return. My favorite line from the video, "By the way, don't kick to Reggie Bush right now. They did Mike. And it's a line drive."
Kluwe ranks 33rd in Net Avg and 25th in fair catches with 8. By comparion the leagues top 5 punters all have more than 20 FC’s. It’s all about hang time and as we saw with SD in the playoffs, when you have a punter with 5+ sec hang times you can single handedly win a game. Kluwe meanwhile I’m sure will keep trying to kick it 60 yds inbounds with 3 sec of hangtime.
And that’s about it for needs that need to be solved before the season starts. The rest of the Viking needs would be for development reasons.
DT and/or S – Pat and Sharper will be shutting it down soon. Use your late round picks to find value and talent that can develop under these two in the next year or two.
Special Teams Coach – if only you could draft someone to fix the worst punt coverage unit in NFL history.
I’m sure I missed something or you have a different opinion. I’d be glad to hear it.
Apr/080
Jared Allen what? Doesn’t anyone care that the Gophers got new uni’s?
I know that the NFL draft is tomorrow and I didn't really break it down like I did last year. Well, I guess that's because second round projections aren't that interesting. Here are my two scenarios: 1) Vikings trade down to the late second or early third round to get an additional 4th round pick. They then use their first two picks on the offensive line (tackle, center, guard or tight end) or wide receiver. 2) Vikings keep the 47th overall pick and take Fred Davis from USC. Shane Co. was a huge bust last year and we really need a TE that can run the seam route to keep the opposing safeties honest covering Berrian and Rice.
Ok, now that the draft speculation is out of the way - the Gophers got new uniforms! Believe it or not, Gopher Football is about to be relevant in the next year or two for the first time in my 28 years on this planet. They are building a new on-campus stadium, which will attract not only a huge contingent of fans; and also better players. http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle In addition, they have updated their look for the 2008 season. http://www.gophersports.com/PhotoAlbum. Personally I only like white on white, maroon on maroon, and maroon on gold; but I guess they might use the other 3 combinations as well, against my will.
Mar/082
NFL: High Picks = Top Performers??
This year the Minnesota Vikings will have the 17th overall selection in the NFL Draft. Midway through last season it looked like we were a lock to land a top 5 pick. Then Adrian Peterson realized that he was one of the 3 most explosive, game-changing players in the league and all hell broke loose. The worst case scenario in the NFL is to narrowly miss the playoffs; in this scenario you not only miss out on the postseason, you also get a lousy draft pick. Unlike sports like hockey and baseball, it definitely pays to tank in the NFL; there's not even a lottery.. Although the Vikings did pay bigtime for their winning ways the last half of the season in the way of draft order, the way they will not pay is by having to invest in upwards of $30 million guaranteed dollars in what likely will amount to a bust player from college.
With the 2008 NFL Draft closely at hand (relatively speaking), I for one am glad that our Vikings don't have the responsibility of picking in the top 10 and paying top 10 money to a player who has never stepped foot on a pro field. This year the Dolphins have been 'rewarded' for having the most pathetic record in the league by being given the opportunity to invest $30 million guaranteed on basically a coin flip. I will highlight my point by taking you back to the 2005 NFL Draft. I'm choosing 2005 for a couple reasons. The first is because the players in that draft have had 3 years to prove their worth. The other reason is that it was a really bad first round for those selecting in the top 17 picks. If the 2008 draft turns out anything like the 2005 draft, we should thank our lucky stars to have had our draft status drop like a football clanked off Troy Williamson's facemask. Here is what the top 17 picks looked like in 2005:
Draft#:1
Alex D. Smith
Position:QB
Drafted From: Utah
CAN BARELY COMPLETE A PASS
Draft#:2
Ronnie Brown
Position:RB
Drafted From: Auburn
SHOWS SIGNS OF DOMINANCE BUT CAN'T STAY HEALTHY, 3 YEARS LATER THE DOLPHINS HAVEN'T IMPROVED
Draft#:3
Braylon Edwards
Position:WR
Drafted From: Michigan
COMPLETE STUD, TOP 10 RECEIVER IN THE LEAGUE IN MY ESTIMATION
Draft#:4
Cedric Benson
Position:RB
Drafted From: Texas
FAT AND SLOW WITH NO VISION OR CUTBACK ABILITY
Draft#:5
Carnell Williams
Position:RB
Drafted From: Auburn
NOODLES FOR KNEE LIGAMENTS, FLASH IN THE PAN HIS ROOKIE YEAR
Draft#:6
Adam 'Pacman' Jones
Position:CB
Drafted From: West Virginia
MAKING IT RAIN IN JAIL (ABOUT TO BE TRADED TO DALLAS FOR A 7TH ROUND PICK)
Draft#:7
Troy Williamson
Position:WR
Drafted From: South Carolina
TOO SAD TO EVEN MENTION (MAYBE NOT THE BEST DECISION TO TRADE MOSS FOR NAPOLEON HARRIS AND 7TH PICK)
Draft#:8
Antrel Rolle
Position:CB
Drafted From: Miami(Fla.)
NOT HALF THE CORNER HIS BROTHER IS. WILL BE MOVED TO SAFETY THIS YEAR
Draft#:9
Carlos Rogers
Position:CB
Drafted From: Auburn
WAS A SLIGHT DISAPPOINTMENT BEFORE TEARING HIS ACL, WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES...
Draft#:10
Mike Williams
Position:WR
Drafted From: Southern California
RUNS MORE LIKE PAT WILLIAMS THAN ROY WILLIAMS (HE DID MAKE A ONE HANDED CATCH IN COLLEGE THOUGH...)
Draft#:11
Demarcus Ware
Position:DE
Drafted From: Troy State
ONE DIMENTIONAL 3-4 SCHEME PASS RUSHER (COULDN'T COVER THE AFOREMENTIONED MIKE WILLIAMS)
Draft#:12
Shawne Merriman
Position:OLB
Drafted From: Maryland
PRO BOWL DEFENSIVE TEAM LEADER (ALTHOUGH HE HASN'T BEEN AS GOOD SINCE HIS STEROID SUSPENSION)
Draft#:13
Jammal Brown
Position:OT
Drafted From: Oklahoma
ALL PRO ON THE FIELD AND AT DOMESTIC DISTURBANCES
Draft#:14
Thomas Davis
Position:FS
Drafted From: Georgia
CONVERTED TO OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, SECOND ON TEAM IN TACKLES UNTIL SHOULDER INJURY IN GAME 15
Draft#:15
Derrick O. Johnson
Position:OLB
Drafted From: Texas
GOOD STARTING OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, VERY ATHLETIC, NOT GREAT VS. THE RUN
Draft#:16
Travis Johnson
Position:DT
Drafted From: Florida State
ENDED TRENT GREEN'S CAREER LAST YEAR, KEITH OLBERMANN CALLED HIM 'THE WORST PERSON IN THE NFL'
Draft#:17
David Pollack
Position:DE
Drafted From: Georgia
BROKE HIS NECK AND LIKELY WILL NEVER PLAY AGAIN
Making the beginning of this draft even worse is the fact that with the 18th pick we took Erasmus James, who has absolutely lived up to the hype that he is extremely injury prone. The point of all this is that it's not necessarily the best to be at the top of the draft. Call it sour grapes if you want, but the 49ers rue the day that they had to give Alex Smith $27 million guaranteed dollars, half of it up front! Bottom line is I'd only want to have 5 of the players on this list on my team, period. AND, I would only want Edwards, Merriman and Brown for how much they getting paid for their efforts. So, from a value perspective I would want 17% of the top 18 picks. Vegas cleans up and patrons have close to a 48% of leaving happy; if I were an NFL GM I would try to trade all my draft picks for players from whom I was 100% sure what I was getting, even if it meant giving up some upside. It might be a better strategy long-term, but nobody has had the seeds to try it. It works in Madden...
Mar/082
Vikings Final Offseason Need: DE
Entering this year's off season the Vikings needed to fill major holes at DE. A total lack of the pass rush last year and unexpected health complications have left the Vikings scrambling. Last week the Vikings addressed needs in pass coverage and at WR by adding a deep threat in Bernard. It has been an extremely active offseason, one that included the hopes of signing Justin Smith from Cinci, but the 49ers jumped in and nixed that deal.
This leaves the Vikings still searching for answers at DE in an offseason John Clayton from ESPN has deemed a Winner for the Vikes and 4 other teams (Browns, Jags, Eagles, Fins).
Going into this years free agency period ESPN ranked 41 available DE's with 4 of those clearly a cut above everyone else. Those four are: Jared Allen, Chris Canty, Antwan Odom and Justin Smith. Allen who rated out at 88 signed a franchise tag deal worth about $9 million. Smith rated out at 75 just signed a 6 yr deal worth about $7.5 million/yr.
Smith was expected to visit the Vikings but was signed by the 49ers before even flying to MN.
The top DE's in this years free agent class set a $5-$9 million/yr range. But if you look to the 2006 and 2007 NFL drafts you see mid-range 1st round picks delivering a better value. The best example is 2006, the Chiefs selected Tamba Hali from Penn State with the 20th pick. He signed a 5 yr deal rumored to be worth about $10-$15 million. (His scout grade was 87 the time of the draft) When you look at his numbers in 2006 & 2007 he's very comparable to Justin Smith. Hali recorded 8 and 7.5 sacks, Smith has recorded 8, 6, 7.5 and 2 sacks his last four years. You could argue Hali has the better upside and the better value.
In 2007 three DE's were taken in the early-mid 1st round: Jamaal Anderson as the 8th pick to the Falcons, Adam Carriker as the 13th pick to the Rams and Jarvis Moss the 17th pick to the Broncos. Anderson signed for 5 yrs at $31 million, Carriker 5 yrs at $14 million and Moss 5 yrs at $18 million. Five more DE's were taken in the second round, picks 54, 56, 57, 58 and 62 were all DE selections. None of the 2007 1st round selections have panned out so far but it's early.
When looking back at the 2006 and 2007 drafts, looking at this years free agent class, building through the draft can work and often times is much cheaper.
The Vikings have the 17th and 47th overall picks in the 2008 draft, they also own the 73rd from Den and the 82nd. I wouldn't be surprised if the vikings used two of those 4 picks on a pass rushing DE. When you can pick a guy like Tamba Hali 20th overall for 1/4th the cost of a aging Justin Smith, why not try on a draft day flyer?
The only other move the Vikings might want to make is an incentives based deal with a past-his-prime player like Javon Kearse. Might throwing a couple million at a guy in the hopes he can deliver 5-8 sacks be worth it? I think so.
There isn't much of anything left in the free agent pool so the best shot the Vikings have at filling their gaping need at DE might have to come through the draft. In the coming weeks we'll break down the DE's available in the 2008 draft as we move toward April 26th and 27th.
Jan/080
Which is more impressive?
I know its early, but I was surfing the net trying to get a feel for what is out there for draft picks. While doing so, I stumbled upon some video of Cal wideout/punt returner Desean Jackson. The return is impressive, as well as Jackson's speed, but what may be more impressive (and rather funny) is the hit that #4 for Cal (Decoud) lays on UCLA's # 55. In order to appreciate the severity of the hit, you have to watch till at least the 1:35 mark in the tape. See link for video, and by the way, the sound with the video is NSFW.
Jul/070
Toting the Rock with AP28
It's training camp time, and although not all draft picks have signed, there is always optimism in the air. One of the most striking points of optimism for the Minnesota Vikings is the eventual addition of their new tailback, Adrian Peterson. Most of the great teams these days have two solid backs, which is what makes the addition of Peterson so intriguing. It's hard to know what the immediate role of the rookie will be, but in time it is clear--feature back. Chester Taylor ran for over 1200 yards last year behind our mammoth offensive line. The line was much maligned for not living up to their potential, but for my money, clearing the way for a career backup to rush for over 1200 yards is a job well done. Peterson is bigger, stronger, faster and quicker than Taylor and by all reports has better vision as well. Physical talent alone does not guarantee success over a career, but it's a good start. I project that by the end of the year Peterson will be getting most of the first and second-down carries as well as goal line handoffs, with Chester Taylor getting the third down opportunities--a similar situation to Maroney overtaking Dillon in New England and Addai overtaking Rhodes in Indianapolis. That said, who is Adrian Peterson anyway?
Strengths: Possesses an outstanding combination of size, power and speed. Shows a great deal of competitiveness and toughness as a runner. Extremely instinctive as a runner. Shows excellent vision and patience. Runs with ideal balance and body control. Makes quick cuts and shows very good initial burst off his plant foot. He is an upright runner but he also knows when to lower his shoulder for the most part. Rare in terms of his ability to gain yards after contact. He is a punishing back that will wear a defense down with 25-35 carries, and he seems to improve as the game wears on. He shows the initial burst and speed to consistently turn the corner as an outside runner. He continues to improve as a route runner. He has displayed soft hands as a receiver and has upside in that facet of the game. He also shows the size, strength and competitiveness to develop into a solid pass blocker with improved technique and more attention to detail.
Weaknesses: Durability is the biggest concern. He has been limited by injuries in each of his three collegiate seasons, yet he also has lots of mileage on his legs with 728 carries in the 30 games played to date. He will enter the NFL having already suffered injuries to his shoulder, ankle and collarbone. He is an upright runner that loses some power because he fails to consistently run with good pad-level. He’s not overly elusive and won’t make many defenders miss in space. He lacks ideal experience in the passing game. Will need polishing as a route runner and as a blocker.
Overall: Peterson started eight of 13 games played as a true freshman in 2004, when he rushed for 1,925 yards and 15 touchdowns on 339 carries. He also caught five passes for 12 yards that season. He was suspended for two days during 2005 spring practice and did not start vs. UCLA because he missed classes. As a sophomore in 2005, Peterson started eight of 11 games played (missed Baylor and parts of three other games with ankle sprain), and finished with 1,108 yards and 14 TD’s on 220 carries, and caught nine passes for 50 yards. A broken collarbone (Iowa State 10/14) forced him to miss seven games in 2006. For the season he rushed 188 times for 1,012 yards (5.4 average) and 12 touchdowns and also caught 10 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown, earning him a first team All-Big 12 selection. On a side note: His father was in prison from when Peterson was in middle school until October of 2006.
Durability is the biggest knock on Peterson. Otherwise, he’s a complete prospect with special physical skills and competitiveness. When healthy, Peterson displays an outstanding combination of size, vision, instincts, burst and power as a runner. Also, while his receptions were limited in college, he displays soft hands and lots of potential in that department. Overall, Peterson is by far the best running back in the 2007 class and he ranks as one of the top-five prospects regardless of position.
The following is from Wikipedia.com; and as Michael Scott says, Wikipedia is the greatest invention ever… anybody anywhere in the world can write anything they want, so you know you are getting the best information…
High school career
Peterson played football at Palestine High School coached by Jeff Harrell. As a senior he rushed for 2,960 yards on 252 attempts, an average of 11.7 yards per carry, and 32 touchdowns. He finished his 2002 campaign with 2,051 yards on 246 carries, an average of 8.3 yards per carry, and 22 TDs. Peterson was considered one of the best runnings backs in Texas prep history and consensus national player of the year 2004. He was awarded the 2004 Hall Trophy as the Ball Park National High School Player of the Year. Peterson was also named MVP of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl after leading the West squad with 95 yards on nine carries and scoring two touchdowns. Highly recruited, he chose Oklahoma over Arkansas, Miami (FL) and Texas.
At Palestine HS, Peterson also competed in track and field and basketball.
College career
Peterson runs against Boise State in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
Peterson comes from a very athletic family. His mother was a collegiate track athlete, while his father signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Oklahoma. Personal troubles derailed his father’s enrollment at Oklahoma, however, and he ended up playing for the University of Southern Idaho, and later serving time in prison. He was released from prison during the 2006 season, but was precluded from attending any Oklahoma’s football games until his release from a half-way house in Oklahoma City. Peterson’s father was able to watch his son from the stands for the first time on October 14, 2006. Oklahoma beat Iowa State University in that game, but Adrian broke his collar bone diving into the end zone for a 53-yard touchdown run. During a press conference on October 18, Peterson said he was told by doctors to expect to be out for four to six weeks. He was unable to return for the rest of the Sooners regular season, but he was cleared to play in the Big 12 Championship Game. However, he and the coaching staff felt it would be safer to hold him out one more game. He returned for the Sooners’ last game against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl where he rushed for 77 yards. He refused to discuss his plans beyond the end of this season with the press. At the time of the injury, Peterson had only 151 yards to gain to pass Billy Sims as the University of Oklahoma’s all-time leading rusher. Peterson finished 74 yards short of that mark after the Fiesta Bowl. Peterson is 6′2″ about 225 pounds, with his 40 yard dash time reported at 4.38 by Sports Illustrated.
Career statistics
Rushing
| Year | Team | Attempts | Yards | Average | Long | TDs | Yards/Game | Rank* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | HS | 259 | 2313 | 8.9 | – | 32 | – | – | |
| 2005 | Okla. | 220 | 1108 | 5.0 | 84 | 14 | 100.73 | 33rd | |
| * National rank based on rushing yards per game | |||||||||
Receiving
| Year | Team | Receptions | Yards | Average | Long | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | HS | 3 | 36 | 12.0 | – | 0 |
| 2005 | Okla. | 9 | 50 | 5.6 | 11 | 0 |
Scouting report
Peterson has good size at 6′2″ and 220 lbs. He has the power to run over a defender and the elusiveness make him miss. He has great speed and has the potential to score on any given play. The main knock on him is durability. Throughout his career at Oklahoma, he has suffered numerous injuries, including a broken collarbone. However, Peterson has been compared to such NFL backs as Shaun Alexander, due to Peterson’s strength and tackle-breaking abilities.
At the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana, Peterson ran a 4.38 unofficial 40 time. The night before the Combine, Peterson’s half-brother was killed in an apparent homicide in Houston, Texas.
Apr/071
Professor’s NFL Draft Pick #7 Possibility (Part V): Adrian Peterson
Mel Kiper, in his newest mock draft, which was shown on NFL live on Tuesday, but not updated on the ESPN website, has our Vikings selecting Adrian Peterson with the 7th overall pick. Peterson is listed as Kiper as the third best player available behind Johnson and Russell. It doesn't seem to make a ton of sense on the surface for the Vikings to select a RB; however, our number one priority is getting a PLAYMAKER in this draft, and Peterson is, no doubt, a bona fide playmaker. I realize that we already have Chester Taylor, but as "Paper Champs" wrote earlier this offseason, one thing that this year's playoff teams had in common was a two-man backfield. A combo of Peterson and Taylor coming out of our backfield would be a welcomed sight to see. With that said, here is the book on Peterson.
p.s. Can we please sign Eric Moulds already?? I don't think "Paper Champs"' boy Billy McMullin is going to cut it...
Adrian Peterson
RB | (6'1
", 217, 4.4) | OKLAHOMA
Scouts Grade: 98
Strengths: Possesses an outstanding combination of size, power and speed. Shows a great deal of competitiveness and toughness as a runner. Extremely instinctive as a runner. Shows excellent vision and patience. Runs with ideal balance and body control. Makes quick cuts and shows very good initial burst off his plant foot. He is an upright runner but he also knows when to lower his shoulder for the most part. Rare in terms of his ability to gain yards after contact. He is a punishing back that will wear a defense down with 25-35 carries, and he seems to improve as the game wears on. He shows the initial burst and speed to consistently turn the corner as an outside runner. He continues to improve as a route runner. He has displayed soft hands as a receiver and has upside in that facet of the game. He also shows the size, strength and competitiveness to develop into a solid pass blocker with improved technique and more attention to detail.
Weaknesses: Durability is the biggest concern. He has been limited by injuries in each of his three collegiate seasons, yet he also has lots of mileage on his legs with 728 carries in the 30 games played to date. He will enter the NFL having already suffered injuries to his shoulder, ankle and collarbone. He is an upright runner that loses some power because he fails to consistently run with good pad-level. He's not overly elusive and won't make many defenders miss in space. He lacks ideal experience in the passing game. Will need polishing as a route runner and as a blocker.
Overall: Peterson started eight of 13 games played as a true freshman in 2004, when he rushed for 1,925 yards and 15 touchdowns on 339 carries. He also caught five passes for 12 yards that season. He was suspended for two days during 2005 spring practice and did not start vs. UCLA because he missed classes. As a sophomore in 2005, Peterson started eight of 11 games played (missed Baylor and parts of three other games with ankle sprain), and finished with 1,108 yards and 14 TD's on 220 carries, and caught nine passes for 50 yards. A broken collarbone (Iowa State 10/14) forced him to miss seven games in 2006. For the season he rushed 188 times for 1,012 yards (5.4 average) and 12 touchdowns and also caught 10 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown, earning him a first team All-Big 12 selection. On a side note: His father was in prison from when Peterson was in middle school until October of 2006.
Durability is the biggest knock on Peterson. Otherwise, he's a complete prospect with special physical skills and competitiveness. When healthy, Peterson displays an outstanding combination of size, vision, instincts, burst and power as a runner. Also, while his receptions were limited in college, he displays soft hands and lots of potential in that department. Overall, Peterson is by far the best running back in the 2007 class and he ranks as one of the top-five prospects regardless of position.
The following is from Wikipedia.com; and as Michael Scott says, Wikipedia is the greatest invention ever... anybody anywhere in the world can write anything they want, so you know you are getting the best information...
High school career
Peterson played football at Palestine High School coached by Jeff Harrell. As a senior he rushed for 2,960 yards on 252 attempts, an average of 11.7 yards per carry, and 32 touchdowns. He finished his 2002 campaign with 2,051 yards on 246 carries, an average of 8.3 yards per carry, and 22 TDs. Peterson was considered one of the best runnings backs in Texas prep history and consensus national player of the year 2004. He was awarded the 2004 Hall Trophy as the Ball Park National High School Player of the Year. Peterson was also named MVP of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl after leading the West squad with 95 yards on nine carries and scoring two touchdowns. Highly recruited, he chose Oklahoma over Arkansas, Miami (FL) and Texas.
At Palestine HS, Peterson also competed in track and field and basketball.
College career
Peterson runs against Boise State in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
Peterson comes from a very athletic family. His mother was a collegiate track athlete, while his father signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Oklahoma. Personal troubles derailed his father's enrollment at Oklahoma, however, and he ended up playing for the University of Southern Idaho, and later serving time in prison. He was released from prison during the 2006 season, but was precluded from attending any Oklahoma's football games until his release from a half-way house in Oklahoma City. Peterson's father was able to watch his son from the stands for the first time on October 14, 2006. Oklahoma beat Iowa State University in that game, but Adrian broke his collar bone diving into the end zone for a 53-yard touchdown run. During a press conference on October 18, Peterson said he was told by doctors to expect to be out for four to six weeks. He was unable to return for the rest of the Sooners regular season, but he was cleared to play in the Big 12 Championship Game. However, he and the coaching staff felt it would be safer to hold him out one more game. He returned for the Sooners' last game against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl where he rushed for 77 yards. He refused to discuss his plans beyond the end of this season with the press. At the time of the injury, Peterson had only 151 yards to gain to pass Billy Sims as the University of Oklahoma's all-time leading rusher. Peterson finished 74 yards short of that mark after the Fiesta Bowl. Peterson is 6'2" about 225 pounds, with his 40 yard dash time reported at 4.38 by Sports Illustrated.
Career statistics
Rushing
| Year | Team | Attempts | Yards | Average | Long | TDs | Yards/Game | Rank* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | HS | 259 | 2313 | 8.9 | -- | 32 | -- | -- | |
| 2005 | Okla. | 220 | 1108 | 5.0 | 84 | 14 | 100.73 | 33rd | |
| * National rank based on rushing yards per game | |||||||||
Receiving
| Year | Team | Receptions | Yards | Average | Long | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | HS | 3 | 36 | 12.0 | -- | 0 |
| 2005 | Okla. | 9 | 50 | 5.6 | 11 | 0 |
NFL career
On January 15, 2007, Peterson declared that he will forgo his senior year of college and enter the NFL Draft where it is predicted by many that he will be a top 5 draft choice. It was the final day for players to declare for the Draft.
Scouting report
Peterson has good size at 6'2" and 220 lbs. He has the power to run over a defender and the elusiveness make him miss. He has great speed and has the potential to score on any given play. The main knock on him is durability. Throughout his career at Oklahoma, he has suffered numerous injuries, including a broken collarbone. However, Peterson has been compared to such NFL backs as Shaun Alexander, due to Peterson's strength and tackle-breaking abilities.
At the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana, Peterson ran a 4.38 unofficial 40 time. The night before the Combine, Peterson's half-brother was killed in an apparent homicide in Houston, Texas.
Mar/070
Professor’s NFL Draft Pick #7 Possibility (Part IV): LaRon Landry
The Vikings have an interesting situation at the safety position. We have two veteran starters who underachieved last year (Sharp and D-Smith) , an in-the-box-type presence coming off a season ending knee injury (Tank), and a young kid who showed a lot of upside last year (Greg Blizzle). Unfortunately, in 2 or 3 years (the next time Childress expects the team to be in contention) both vets will be gone. For this reason, LaRon is worth a serious look with the 7th overall pick. Who knows, if we draft him he might just beat out Dwight Smith by the end of training camp; which will leave Dwight more time to focus on housing women in stairwells (alledgedly)...Scouts Inc lists Landry as the 7th best player in the draft:
Laron Landry
S | (6'2", 202, 4.49) | LSU
Scouts Grade: 96
Strengths: Possesses good height, decent bulk and the frame to get bigger. Shows good fluidity and top-end speed. He consistently gets a quick break on the ball and diagnoses the run very quickly. He shows good toughness and strength in run support, especially for his size. He fills hard and shows adequate power at the point of attack. Sideline-to-sideline playmaker versus the run. He displays better-than-average range in zone coverage and he also can match up one-on-one versus slot receivers in the NFL. He is an instinctive playmaker with adequate-to-good ball skills. He has a good mental capacity and coaches rave about his ability to pick things up quickly. He is a good leader in the secondary and does a great job of getting everyone in position. He has tremendous experience as a four-year starter at the highest collegiate level. He also has been extremely versatile in LSU's secondary throughout his career.
Weaknesses: Lacks ideal bulk. Until he gets bigger he will not be able to match up as easily in-the-box at the NFL level as he has in college. He will misjudge the ball in the air on occasion and he still can improve his recognition skills when playing in deep-middle zone coverage.
Overall: Landry played in all 14 games (10 starts) as a true freshman in 2003 and recorded 80 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, four pass-breakups, and one blocked kick. He was knocked out of the Arkansas game (11/28) with a concussion. In 2004, Landry started all 12 games finishing the season with 92 total tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, four interceptions, six pass-breakups, and one forced fumble. He once again started every game (13) in 2005 registering 69 total tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, and eight pass-breakups. In 2006 he started all 13 games, earning first team All-American and first team All-SEC honors (both media and coaches), after collecting 74 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one blocked kick, and three interceptions. Over the past four seasons, Landry has seen time at free safety, strong safety, and cornerback.
Landry is as close to the complete package as it gets for a safety prospect coming from the collegiate ranks. He projects as an immediate starter at free safety in the NFL; he can hold up in the box, in deep-middle zone coverage and one-on-one versus a slot receiver. In our opinion, Landry is the top safety in the 2007 class and he should come off the board in the first-half of the first round.
Freshman
Landry made an immediate impact at LSU, starting 10 games as a true freshman in 2003 while helping the Tigers win the BCS National Championship. He recorded 80 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, four pass-breakups, and one blocked kick. Landry was named to the Freshman All-SEC team, Second Team All-SEC and the First-Team Freshman All-American Team.
Sophomore
During his sophomore season the Tigers finished 16th in the nation, but Landry's standing remained high again. He was named to the Second-Team All-SEC and he made the SEC Academic Honor Roll. He started all 12 games, finishing the season with 92 total tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, four interceptions, six pass-breakups, and one forced fumble.
Junior
In 2005, LSU won the SEC Western Division and the Peach Bowl over Miami. Landry registered 69 total tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, and eight pass-breakups. Landry was named a First-Team All-SEC and Third-Team All-American by the associated press and First-Team All-SEC by the SEC coaches.
Senior
He chose to forgo the lure of the NFL to return to LSU for his senior season even though many analysts projected him as a high draft pick. He was considered the top free safety in the nation and a potential All American for the season Landry lived up to these expectations, starting all 13 games, earning first team All-American and first team All-SEC honors after collecting 74 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one blocked kick, and three interceptions. His senior season was capped with an invitation to the Senior Bowl and as a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award.
Career
Credited with 48 straight starts for the Tigers, Landry finished his career with 315 tackles and 12 interceptions. His 12 interceptions left him with the third-highest total in school history, while his 315 tackles rank seventh in LSU history.
| Year | Team | Games Played | Tackles | Pass Break Ups | Interceptions | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | LSU | 14 | 80 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 2004 | LSU | 12 | 92 | 6 | 4 | 51 |
| 2005 | LSU | 13 | 69 | 8 | 3 | 42 |
| 2006 | LSU | 13 | 74 | 4 | 3 | 58 |
| College Totals | 52 | 315 | 22 | 12 | 151 | |
Trivia
He is the brother of former Georgia Tech football player and 2006 fifth round NFL draft choice of the Baltimore Ravens Dawan Landry.
Landry played in all 52 LSU games while at Baton Rouge, starting 48 consecutive games.
Honors
- 2006 First-Team All-American (AP)
- 2006 First-Team All-SEC (AP)
- 2006 First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches)
- 2006 Thorpe Award Semifinalist
- 2006 Senior Bowl
- 2005 Third-Team All-American (AP)
- 2005 First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches)
- 2005 Second-Team All-SEC (AP)
- 2004 Second-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches)
- 2004 SEC Academic Honor Roll
- 2003 First-Team Freshmen All-American (Football Writer's Association, Collegefootballnews.com)
- 2003 Second-Team All-SEC (AP)
- 2003 Freshmen All-SEC Team (SEC Coaches, Knoxville News-Sentinel, The Sporting News)
Mar/077
Professor’s NFL Draft Pick #7 Possibilities (Part III): Jamaal Anderson
Having just missed out on signing Patrick Kerney from Atlanta, the Vikings still need to address their pass rush. Jamaal Anderson would be a great way to do so.
Jamaal is listed currently as #4 on Mel Kiper's big board, making him the best DE available and probably not available to the Vikings at #7. However, Gaines Adams had an amazing combine, which may cause Anderson to slip a tad.
According to Scouts Inc.:
Jamaal Anderson
DE | (6'5
", 273, 4.75) | ARKANSAS
Scouts Grade: 96
Strengths: Possesses outstanding size. Is tall with great weight distribution, long arms and big hands. Displays good lower-body strength and upper-body power. Is able to jar offensive linemen with initial punch. Is smooth and fluid for his size. Possesses adequate speed and is able to change directions quickly for a big defensive end. He displays good combination moves of power and finesse as a pass rusher. Plays with a high motor and is relentless as a pass rusher. He has enough size and strength to effectively hold his ground when teams run at him, so long as he plays with good leverage. He pursues hard from the backside in run-support and he is a powerful tackler.
Weaknesses: Lacks elite top-end speed and will struggle to turn the corner as quickly when rushing the passer off the edge. He does not possess great first-step quickness, either. Fires out of his stance too high and must learn to play with better leverage. Needs to do a better job of using his hands to get off blocks. He will struggle to disengage quickly enough versus the run. Limited experience; he was only a starter for a year and a half at Arkansas before leaving early.
Overall: Anderson saw action in all 11 games in 2004 as a true freshman off the bench and on special teams recording 18 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and one blocked punt. In 2005, he once again played in all 11 games but received five starts to end the year after Anthony Brown was injured and registered 47 total tackles including 10.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Anderson then started all 14 games during the 2006 season amassing 65 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, and one forced fumble gaining First Team All-SEC recognition.
Anderson is making the NFL plunge a year early after experiencing a breakout season as a junior in 2006. The good news and bad news with Anderson is that he's still relatively raw. While he may not be ready to contribute as an every-down player as a rookie, he displays the physical tools to develop into an upper-echelon starter if he continues to work at the next level. Anderson should be one of the top three or four defensive ends selected -- most likely in the mid-to-late first-round range.
According to NFLfutures.com, Anderson is a former wide receiver that made a smooth transition to defensive end. As a freshman reserve, he was in on 18 tackles. As a sophomore, he was in the rotation, and started the last five games of the year after an injury, and he has taken off from that point. He had 47 tackles, 10.5 for loss, and four sacks that season. Anderson blew up as a junior, finishing with 65 tackles, 19.5 for loss, and 13.5 sacks.
Jamaal Anderson is an absolute freak physically. Not only is he an excellent athlete, with great quickness and agility, but he has great size as well. He is a difference maker off the edge as a pass rusher. He dominated as a junior, and still has a ton of untapped potential. He could be an all around force at the next level.
Anderson is still adjusting to playing in the trenches, and is still a work in progress. He has been able to get by on his tremendous physical ability, but he will not be able to rely on that alone in the NFL. He declared after his junior year, only having about a season and a half of starting experience under his belt.
Anderson has the size and talent that will draw comparisons to Mario Williams and Julius Peppers, and he carries a great deal of upside at the next level. He could really put on a show in workouts and has a shot to be the first defensive end selected. He may need a little time to become the force many expect, but if a team is patient, he could be special.
Feb/072
Professor’s NFL Draft Pick #7 possibility (Part II): Gaines Adams
With the #7 Pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Vikings are in a spot to take a blue chip player like Gaines Adams:
02/27/07 - NFL COMBINE: Risers: Of all the defensive linemen who took to the field Monday morning, Adams stole the show. Running both 40s in the low 4.7-second range, Adams displayed his unlimited athleticism for scouts. Not only did Adams stand out during the defensive line drills, but he also looked great when running through a battery of linebacker drills. Adams presently ranks as the No. 1 defender in the draft. - Tony Pauline, SI.com
History
Adams attended Fork Union Prep in 2001 and recorded 58 tackles, 22 sacks, and two interceptions in 10 games. He was a three year starter at Cambridge Academy where he was a dominant wide receiver and defensive end. His coach during high school was former University of South Carolina quarterback, Steve Taneyhill. In 2000, his team won the state title. During that year, Cambridge shut out four different teams, beating one team 80-0. They had suffered only one loss that season to archrival King Academy. He had 158 career receptions for 4,394 yard and 65 touchdowns, as well as 341 tackles, 10 interceptions, and 33 sacks in his career, and was a two-time all-state honoree. He chose Clemson over Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. He had narrowed down his choices to North Carolina and Clemson, then signed with Clemson after the Tar Heels unexpectedly rescinded their offer.
In 2004, he had 35 tackles with 8 sacks, and two blocked punts playing on special teams. For his hard work on special teams, Adams was awarded the 12th Man Award for Clemson's defense. Adams considered coming out for the NFL Draft after his sophomore year, but after the underclassman panel gave him a conservatively low ranking he decided to stay for his junior year.
Adams' 2005 junior year was the year he broke out. Adams totaled 56 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and forced three fumbles while starting at "bandit" defensive end.
For Adams' senior year, 2006, he was slated to be among the best defensive ends in the college football. Adams lived up to his reputation by starting all 12 games, recording 10.5 sacks, causing 2 fumbles and recovering 3. Adams is projected to be a top pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. In addition, Adams was named to all five official All-America teams acknowledged by the NCAA in 2006, one of seven unanimous All-Americans this year.
Strengths: Possesses adequate-to-good height and only decent bulk -- but room on his frame to get bigger. Very agile for the position. Displays explosive first-step quickness and good top-end speed as an edge rusher. Displays very good instincts and awareness as a pass rusher. Has long arms, times his jumps well and does a great job of batting down passes at the line of scrimmage. He also has shown good fluidity when occasionally asked to drop in coverage on zone blitzes. He has improved his discipline and technique versus the run. Does a fine job of sealing off the backside. He gets upfield quickly and can be disruptive in the backfield versus the run. Also shows very good change-of-direction skills in space, which allows him to redirect and pursue as a run defender. He is a hard worker with solid all-around intangibles.
Weaknesses: Lacks ideal bulk and lower-body strength. He will need to improve his size in order to consistently take on NFL blockers. He absorbs too many blocks and doesn't do a consistent enough job of disengaging once reached. Needs to play with more consistent leverage versus the run. Has a tendency to come out of his stance too high and will allow linemen to get into his pads too frequently. He needs to become more consistent as a tackler. He will overextend at times and gets caught lunging or leaving his feet too frequently.
Overall: Adams was redshirted in 2002. He saw action in 12 games as a backup defensive end for the 2003 season, registering 15 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and one sack. Adams played in all 11 contests with just one start (Texas A&M) in 2004 but did win Clemson's defensive 12th man award after recording 35 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks, and two blocked punts. In 2005, he took over as the starting "bandit" DE and made 56 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 29 quarterback pressures, and three forced fumbles. Adams started all 13 games during the 2006 season, finishing with 62 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
Adams made a wise decision to bypass the 2006 NFL Draft and return for his senior season. He played eight-man football in high school, so he needed the extra time in college to mature both physically and as a player. He still needs to get bigger and do a better job of defending the run, but he has the frame to add at least 15 more pounds and he made noticeable strides in his run-stopping technique during his final season at Clemson. Adams should eventually become a playmaking starter as a 4-3 end in the NFL -- and he also displays enough athletic ability to fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Regardless, Adams grades out as the premier defensive end prospect in the 2007 class and he should come off the board within the top-10 picks.
Let's face it, Gaines would look great in Hawaii in a Vikings uniform...
