Following the Vikings' bye week, we took a quick look at the team's 2012 draft wants and needs. Hey, during a season with this much losing,there has to be something to look forward to, right?

Well recently we followed up with NFL Network analyst Charles Davis to pick his brain on what the Vikings may need to do going forward. Below are a few of Davis' thoughts on the strategy the Vikings need to consider as well as scouting reports on a few key college seniors that might be worth a look. (Davis will not talk about the draft potential of underclassmen until after the college football season is over.)

1) Left tackle, as everyone knows, is a huge need.
If Christian Ponder holds the future of the Vikings in his hands, the team must find a way to give him the protection up front he needs. Charlie Johnson's days as the starting left tackle may be numbered. "Charlie Johnson is doing yeomen's duties as best he can," Davis said. "And he did that for a Super Bowl team [in Indianapolis]. But as we've discovered, Peyton [Manning] masks a lot of things. Now Johnson has a youngster he's trying to protect. And the ball doesn't come out of his hands as quickly. Not yet. Ponder's doing a nice job. But when you're young, you don't want to make mistakes so you hold it a count longer because you don't have the same confidence to pull the trigger and get rid of the football. So you need someone there to protect his blindside." The best left tackles available in next year's draft will likely be Matt Kalil from Southern Cal, Jonathan Martin from Stanford and Riley Reiff of Iowa. Ohio State's Mike Adams, Davis said, also has potential. But Adams will likely be slotted to go long after the Vikings make their first pick.
2) As the Vikings shape their wish list for the offensive line, they have to keep their overall identity in mind.
Davis points back to the 2008 draft when the Carolina Panthers went hard after Jeff Otah, drafting him midway through the first round because he seemed to a good fit with what they did best. "He was a road-grating tackle that knocks people over, which is what they wanted because they run the football. That's what they do," Davis said. "The Vikings face a delicate balance because you have to address Adrian Peterson and what he does with your offensive line yet you have to have guys who can dance when you need to throw the ball. You need the true old-fashioned lineman who can fire out yet can pass protect. That's going to be interesting to see what you can find, especially at left tackle. If you're going to give up one thing over the other, you want the pass protection first and the run blocking second."
3) It may not be a first-round priority with the team's needs on the offensive line and in the receiving corps, but the Vikings need to beef up their secondary with far greater quality depth than they've had this year.
Davis believes the Vikings need to find safeties who can tackle and a rotation of cornerbacks that can upgrade a pass defense that currently ranks second-to-last in opponents' quarterback rating (104.5). Said Davis: "Asher Allen isn't a guy you look at as you go forward and say, 'We can't get better.'
He's good player. But to compete in this league, you need great players. Because you have to match what you have in your division before you go anywhere else." Currently in the Vikings' division? Aaron Rodgers is lighting it up in Green Bay by spreading the ball around to Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson and James Jones. In Detroit, Calvin Johnson is having a Pro Bowl year. And even in Chicago, where the Bears have a mediocre receiving corps themselves, Jay Cutler has been productive when healthy and given time to throw. 4) Notre Dame senior Michael Floyd is one of the rising stars in a draft pool that figures to be overflowing when it comes to talent at receiver.
"Big horse," Davis said of Floyd. "He's a big strong physical guy which is what we're getting out of these outside wide receivers nowadays. He'a guy who can break it and go the distance, a guy who can go inside and catch the football and be physical about it because he has the body to absorb the hits. There's a lot about him I like."
As far as character question marks after Floyd has had several off-the-field alcohol related problems which almost ended his career in South Bend, Ind.?
"He's answering that [maturity question]," Davis said. "Because we haven't heard any bit of trouble since he was reinstated to the team even after a lot of people didn't think he deserved another chance. He's handling that chance quite well. And I think his potential is there."
Other receivers the Vikings might want to take a long look at in later rounds are Nick Toon from Wisconsin, who might be available at the top of the second round and North Carolina's Dwight Jones, a sleeper who could be nabbed later. As for the 6-foot-2-inch, 220-pound Toon, whose dad Al played eight seasons with the Jets?
"He's another big thick guy with great pedigree. Great bloodlines," Davis said. "You love his frame. And I always like a kid who has to battle his way and then has a big year as he comes out. Those are the kids who show me a little perseverance. And that's one of the reasons Nick Toon is a guy I really like."