2013 Draft Central (Minnesota Vikings)

[VCU4LIFEGOVIKS]

Report: Manti Te'o's girlfriend never existed
Jan 16 - 5:25 PM

Deadspin posted a piece stating that Lennay Kekua, the supposed girlfriend of Notre Dame ILB Manti Te'o who reportedly passed away on September 12, 2012 due to complications with leukemia, never actually existed.

There are a lot of blank parts of the timeline and negative space that needs to be answered, but the story is nearly unbelievable and worth your time to read. On September 12, Te'o's grandmother did pass away due to her old age, with Kekua's death reportedly happening less than 24 hours later. The Deadspin story claims that Kekua was made up by Te'o's friend Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, and their relationship has been faked since 2009. We won't even try to outline the entire list of events, but Notre Dame has issued a statement calling it "a sad and very cruel deception to entertain its perpetrators." The school was apparently notified of the issue on December 26 and that Te'o was a "victim" of the situation.

Source: Deadspin
http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/c...-never-existed

[niftynation11]

Stay away from Teo because he is a fraud. Just lost all respect for him. Big liar.

Why?

[niftynation11]

You really can't believe this, can you? Even if it is true, why would Manti have agreed to it? This is just ridiculous.

[vikings4lifebro]

Report: Manti Te'o's girlfriend never existed
Jan 16 - 5:25 PM

He wasnt a victim at all Vcu. Teo was part of it. Now his grandmother passed and people that know him were saying Sorry about your grandmother and he probably said Thanks and talked about how his grandmother and how she raised him. Now when this made up girl died more people came up to him and said Sorry about your girlfriend. Now why didnt he say WHAT GIRLFRIEND? MY GIRLFRIEND ISNT DEAD? WHATS GOING ON? WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT? Now Vcu he didnt make a response like this or clear us the misunderstanding. He just rolled with that lie to get some press. So in my book i hope he doesnt get drafted(not by the vikings at all i mean) because if he is pulling stunts like this then what else is he hiding?

[montybeasty]

Kiper Projects WR Terrance Williams As Vikings 1st-Round Pick
January 16, 2013 @ 11:19 am ›
Mike Wobschall

No, it’s not time to launch this year’s Mock Madness, where we select a handful of draft prognosticators to follow on a weekly basis. That will happen once we get into March and the 2013 NFL Draft is fast-approaching. But we are in the offseason, so it is time to pay more attention to this year’s NFL prospects and what the prognosticators are, well, prognosticating.

We got an early jump on this front last month when we pointed out that ESPN’s Todd McShay had already released his first mock draft of the season and projected the Vikings to take DT Sylvester Williams. McShay’s colleague at ESPN, Mel Kiper, Jr., is now officially on the board with his mock draft. Per usual, Kiper disagrees with McShay’s assessment (not surprising, though, at this stage in the process and with the Vikings selecting 23rd). Kiper sees the Vikings addressing the other side of the ball – offense.

Kiper projects Baylor WR Terrance Williams as the Vikings pick at #23 overall. Here’s what Kiper wrote about Williams:

“Last year, we saw both Josh Gordon and Kendall Wright taken out of Baylor, and Williams has the skill set to join them as a player drafted with the potential to make an early impact. Williams is first a player who can use his size and speed to stretch the field and take the top off a defense, but he also can make big plays on the sidelines, where he’ll tiptoe and make the catches as well as any pass-catching target in the draft. Williams also will beat you with the ball in his hands as a nifty runner with good size. Minnesota needs a dependable pass-catcher next to Percy Harvin and Kyle Rudolph.”



The part of Kiper’s analysis that stood out to me was Williams’ ability to make plays on the sidelines. As I stated earlier this week in providing thoughts about Atlanta’s victory over Seattle, a receiver’s ability to make plays along the boundary does a lot for a QB. If a QB knows his receiver has the ability to pull down a pass along the boundary, that presents more opportunities for big plays because that QB will be more willing to throw that receiver a pass even in coverage.

Williams, who measures in at 6-2, 205 pounds, is a senior who averaged 18.9 yards per catch and had 12 TDs last season, and for his career at Baylor he hauled in 202 catches and 27 TDs while averaging 16.5 yards per reception. He is scheduled to attend the Senior Bowl next week in Mobile, Alabama, and I’m slated to arrive on Monday so he’ll be one of the many players we keep an eye on next week.

Anyway, we might be getting ahead of ourselves. But it’s fun to speculate on the draft, and we’re now officially underway for 2013 draft season.

[vikings4lifebro]

You really can't believe this, can you? Even if it is true, why would Manti have agreed to it? This is just ridiculous.

Because he is stupid.

[Daniel0227]

You do have some good points, but all I know is football outsiders has our pass protection at 16th overall and our run protection at 10th overall. Ponders overall numbers for the season were not that bad either but they were not all that great too. his comp was 18th in the nfl and his yards per game was 2nd to worst. Also the biggest one to me was his yards per attempt was 2nd to worst as well. His passer rating was at 21st in the league.

Having Harvin and a #1 type deep threat will help big time, and although our line did very well this year, I still really have big time problems with our guards and Sully needs the help.
How many times did we see LB's and DT's get between our Guards and Sully? Way to many from what I saw.
We do need a new looks at WR, but we also need Ponder to have the time in the pocket. Most of his time was only 2 seconds. He needs more time than that.

I also don't think my Logic on the 2012 draft was not to point out that you don't draft a wr in round one. And no, I don't like Robinson as a WR because he is untested. just watch him at the bowl game is all.
I do respect what you have to say VCU but I do feel like unless Allen or Patterson is there for us in round one, get what we need otherwise. Guard, DT, or MLB.

[niftynation11]

Because he is stupid.

Its true, he is pretty stupid for all this hoopla. But I think he really thought he was with someone. It wouldn't be the first time that someone has been tricked by someone online. Just ask Dateline and the guy who catches pervs. Manti wouldn't do something like this for publicity. He probably just really wanted a gf and was willing to believe anything. If he truly believed that his gf was real and then subsequently passed away, then this article and the hoax could really screw him up. I think we should be considerate of that until we know the truth.

But, the only person who actually knows the truth is Manti Te'o.


Enough of this, back to Mock Drafts! (old batman "change of scenes" music)

[montybeasty]

Even the Te'o pulled this drama stunt his draft stock won't slip much. All you have to do is look at the film and you will see what he's gonna give you although, a lot of what he does at the combine will determine where he goes in the draft but even still I don't see him falling past the bears. He's just to talented

[roy hobbs]

Its true, he is pretty stupid for all this hoopla. But I think he really thought he was with someone. It wouldn't be the first time that someone has been tricked by someone online. Just ask Dateline and the guy who catches pervs. Manti wouldn't do something like this for publicity. He probably just really wanted a gf and was willing to believe anything. If he truly believed that his gf was real and then subsequently passed away, then this article and the hoax could really screw him up. I think we should be considerate of that until we know the truth.

But, the only person who actually knows the truth is Manti Te'o.


Enough of this, back to Mock Drafts! (old batman "change of scenes" music)

What?

[HSmith22]

Meh. I still think Te'o is a helluva football player and would be glad to have him.

Here is Te'o's statement, that was first published by ESPN.com:

"This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online. We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her. To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating. It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life. I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick. I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been. In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious. If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was. Fortunately, I have many wonderful things in my life, and I'm looking forward to putting this painful experience behind me as I focus on preparing for the NFL Draft."

It's kind of a crazy story. He fell for a hoax online, can't say he's the first nor the last to have done that.

[HSmith22]

So. Who got the best value? Colts.
Colts picked T.Y. Hilton with the 92nd pick in the third round!
Josh Gordon came in second with the browns picking him with a second round pick.

Jaguars with Justin Blackmon.

He had a good rookie year and it gets overlooked because their team kind of sucked. I bet you right now that in three years he'll be as good if not better than Michael Crabtree has come to be for the 49er's. It took Crabtree this long to really blossom you cannot judge receivers after one year.

Floyd in Arizona had nothing for QB so we don't yet know how he's going to do. Can't evaluate him based on the disaster area that is the Cardinals.

Wright had his moments in Tennessee this year too, in fact he might be the Titans #1. Britt is just crazy. The Titans receiver finished his first season with 64 catches, tied for the rookie lead with Jacksonville’s Justin Blackmon. Also Wright was eighth in the league in third-down catches with 22, but Blackmon was tied for 13th with 19.

Jenkins didn't do ****. That's one I'de say was drafted too high based all on speed. I didn't like him much as a prospect coming out.

Hill didn't do horrible for the Jets but again QB issues made it hard for him to shine and he was a project coming out anyways. We knew it would take him three years, if not more, to develop. Give him two years before you start saying T.Y. Hilton is a better draft pick.

Jeffery had a pretty decent year but really Brandon Marshall is so good he was an afterthought on Cutler's mind.

Now, I realize we all want a better passing attack but I'm telling you guys, Waiting till the second or third with this deep of a class is a better option for us.
The first round needs to go somewhere else than WR. AP will get most of the touches, so why not make our line the best it can be first to #1 Help Ponder, #2 open up even more holes for AP.
Getting a Guard should be at the top of the list next to MLB.
With resigning Harvin, and drafting 2 WR's really puts a ton of strength on offence.
but not in the first round, unless there is that A.J Green or Calvin Johnson deep threat waiting. Not going to be there in the first.

And I'm telling you it's not always so cut and dried and laid out for us. Receiver prospects can be tricky. Sometimes you got the guys with immense talent but they are raw. Guys like Demaryius Thomas. They're worth a 1st round pick around our range and that's where he was drafted. He didn't produce like a #1 in his rookie year just 22 grabs for 283 yards and a couple TDs but by year three now look at him. Thomas finished the regular season eighth in the league with (94) catches, fourth in yards (1,434) to go along with his 10 touchdowns. Many consider him a top-five receiver right now. That risky pick payed off. His size and athletic ability that got him drafted in the first round is what allowed him to finally put it all together and have such a great season. It's also makes him one of the NFL's better deep threats and a formidable red-zone target as well.

That's why I'm saying Cordarrelle Patterson would be worth a first round pick to me. He would have some development time just like DeMaryius but he's got super potential. The Height. The Speed. And then he's got the shiftyness and change of direction that not many big guys have. It's rare. He's Unique. He one day, like Thomas, could become our No. 1. To me that's what we got to find. Someone with the upside of a top target. Keep Harvin but get someone who can start on the outside and be that other split-end.

Allen I think would be the only other receiver I want in the first round. I wouldn't be pissed with DeAndre Hopkins though. I actually think him an Allen will become very similar plays at the next level.

[HSmith22]

Even the Te'o pulled this drama stunt his draft stock won't slip much. All you have to do is look at the film and you will see what he's gonna give you although, a lot of what he does at the combine will determine where he goes in the draft but even still I don't see him falling past the bears. He's just to talented

Exactly. All this **** won't change the fact of that he had three really productive seasons at linebacker. Team's know what they saw and know they'll see it again at the next level. You'r also right that he'll need a surprising combine performance like last year's top inside linebacker, Luke Kuechly, to shoot up into the top 10 picks range, but regardless where he goes in the draft he'll be a productive player in the middle for someone. Just hope it's us and not the Bears.

[FrankieFreakout]

Teo is a bit**. Didnt want him before this news, don't want him now.

[ApolloInfinity]

I don't think that Patterson will be on the board when the Vikings pick. Patterson will go early once he blows the top off the 40.

Patterson runs threw traffic almost like Harvin. He's a guy that's going to make slants and bubble screens big plays. He's doesn't have the hands that Hunter does. Hunter is much better at catching the ball at its high point, Patterson is more of a body snatcher.

Hunter is much more of what we need, he is really long and has the best top speed for the big WR's. He did a 7'0 high jump so he's just going to blow up the combine. Hunter would have the biggest impact for us then any player in this draft. I can just see him running over the top of the D on play actions. You hit 2 of those bombs and Hunter draws both S's out of the box. It would be hard to defend Harvin and AD with 7 men in the box.

I agree we need G help, but the GM likes picking inside lineman late. See DeGeare, sully, fusco. I think the GM believes G's are a good value for his late rounders.

I don't think you need to go DT or MLB in rd 1. We can play with the guys we got. The only position I would deem acceptable to draft in rd 1 this year is WR or CB. Spielman will identify our 2 biggest needs and fill them with our first 2 picks like last year. I'd go Hunter and Trufant.