The Minnesota Vikings were looking to build on the 2009 season when the made it an interception away from the Super Bowl. Then things got strange, weird and bad all at the same time.
Brett Favre finally had age catch up with him and his incredible consecutive games played streak came to an end at 297. Percy Harvin suffered from migraines all season, and Sidney Rice suffered a severe hip injury. Then the roof caved in. Literally. A snowstorm of epic proportions, even for Minnesota, caved in the roof of the Metrodome. The Vikings final two home games were played in Detroit and outside at the University of Minnesota.
Going into the draft, the Vikings starting quarterback who was actually under contract was Joe Webb. There was no doubt that Minnesota would draft a quarterback, but they got gasps from a lot of observers when they called the name of Christian Ponder at #12 overall. It may have been a case of the Vikings not being able to find a trading partner and panicking that the quarterback they wanted may not be there in Round 2. Ponder was seen as a reach, but he fits the offense that Offensive Coordinator Bill Musgrave is going to install, and with Adrian Peterson in the backfield the transition should be made easier.
In Round 2, many thought the Vikings would look to upgrade the offensive line, defensive line, or defensive secondary. The pick turned out to be Kyle Rudolph, the tight end out of Notre Dame. Rudolph was the top rated tight end in the draft, and he will eventually be the successor to Visanthe Shiancoe. In Round 4, the Vikings got help on the defensive line with the selection of Christian Ballard out of Iowa. Ballard saw his draft stock fall when word of a possible failed drug test at the NFL Combine started to make the rounds. Ballard has first round talent and should move into the lineup if he can stay out of trouble.
A late round sleeper looks to be Demarcus Love, an offensive lineman selected in Round 6 out of Arkansas. Love looks to move into the interior of the line and is seen as a developmental project but with the athletic upside to make the move.
Draft Grade: C+
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