Heading into the 2009 draft the Minnesota Vikings have four big needs, they needed a veteran QB, another wide out to help their QB situation, a Right Tackle to help protect their QB, and a replacement for aging CB Antoine Winfield.
So the front office, led by Vice President of Player Personnel Rick Speilman, went out and addressed three of those needs in the draft. Of course days into training camp that got the biggest prize of all in veteran QB Brett Favre.
This is the classic example of a team addressing their needs via the draft and free agency and going out and dominating. As this is being written the Vikings are 4-0 and look every bit a team headed to a Super Bowl.
Selecting 22nd they selected Percy Harvin the Wide out from Florida. Percy was the third highest rated receiver in this draft, and the Vikings made him the third receiver drafted.
The Vikings offensive staff immediately began drawing up new plays to take advantage of Harvin’s schools and through four games he is averaging 40 yards per game and has scored two touchdowns. That may not seem like a lot but Harvin is but one piece of an exceptional team, and we must rank this pick as an A.
With the 54th overall pick in the second round, the Vikings addressed one of their other big needs by selecting Phil Loadholt the RT from Oklahoma. He was the 14th ranked Tackle in this draft, and given the fact that he has started a few games for the Vikings we must grade this pick as an A.
While Loadholt has hurt his ankle and his status for the rest of his rookie campaign is to be determined the fact that the Vikings rushing attack ranks 10th in the league confirms that this was an excellent pick.
In the Third round and beyond the Viking addressed their other needs at DB by taking two of them, and drafting some depth at their Linebacker position.
With all that in mind let us take a look at the grades for the 2009 Minnesota Vikings draft:
Round 1- A
Round 2- A
Need- A
Talent- A
Average- A
And a complete look at their 2009 draft:
Round One- 22nd overall WR Percy Harvin Florida
Round Two- 54th overall Phil Loadholt OT Oklahoma
Round Three- 86th overall Asher Allen CB Georgia
Round Five- 150th overall Jasper Brinkley ILB South Carolina
Round Seven- 231st overall Jamarca Sanford S Mississippi
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