Continued: Harvin's skills prove too tempting for team to pass up

The Vikings have made it clear they value character in their players, but they also put a premium on playmaking ability. On Saturday, they took the calculated risk that Percy Harvin will be able to deliver in the latter area, while putting any questions about the former behind him.

The Vikings' decision to select the wide receiver from the University of Florida with the 22nd pick in the first round of the NFL draft received a standing ovation from the crowd that had gathered at the team's draft party at Winter Park.

The crowd was long gone by the time the Vikings took massive Oklahoma offensive tackle Phil Loadholt (6-8, 343 pounds) with the 54th pick in the second round. The Vikings were known to have been targeting Loadholt, and in recent days it had become clear they had great interest in Harvin. "I don't think we could have asked for a better scenario," said Rick Spielman, Vikings vice president of player personnel.

Loadholt will receive every chance to win the starting right tackle job; Harvin, meanwhile, will give the Vikings the type of threat at receiver that they have not had since Brad Childress became coach in 2006.

"I can't tell you how excited we are to have such an explosive playmaker, to put him on the field with the Adrian Petersons of the world, the Bernard Berrians of the world, the way [Visanthe Shiancoe] is coming along on the offensive side of the ball," Spielman said. "When we evaluated him just on football between the lines, he was definitely a top-10 pick."

There was a good reason Harvin did not go that high. Several teams were thought to have crossed him off their draft board because of issues surrounding his character. The most recent incident came when Harvin reportedly tested positive for marijuana in February at the NFL scouting combine; that's a fact teams did not find out officially until last week.

Childress has long talked about a "culture of accountability" among his players and went to great lengths to bring in what he considered character players once he took over in 2006. Childress had enough concerns about Harvin that he traveled to Gainesville, Fla., last week to spend a day with him. Childress apparently came away satisfied with what he learned after spending time with Harvin and his family and talking to Florida coach Urban Meyer and his assistants.

"I'm very aware that somebody can put their best foot forward in the time that you're there," Childress said. "I just think obviously you want to do the right thing. You want to make sure you're bringing the right people in here and that they fit and co-exist and be a good teammate."

Said Harvin: "I'm a person who is willing to put everything out there. I knew a lot of the things that were in question, and I knew the whole time that I was a genuine person and a good-hearted person. I did get into some things that a person would get into growing up."

Harvin, who will arrive in town today to meet the media, played both running back and receiver in his three seasons with the Gators and had 1,929 yards receiving and 1,852 yards on the ground with 32 touchdowns in 36 games. Harvin was not relied upon to serve as a return man at Florida, but the Vikings project him as a potential punt and kickoff return man.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, who hired Childress in part because of the coach's promise to clean up things, was pleased with the pick. "He's going to really help our team, and we're looking forward to it," Wilf said. "We have to strike when the iron is hot, and I think now is the time to do it. We're very happy to be able to pick [him] at this time."

Wilf echoed what Spielman and Childress have said about the Vikings doing the due diligence necessary to answer any questions they had about Harvin. "We've got the players that have made our team a team of character, and I think he'll be a great addition," Wilf said. "We feel right now is the time to do it, and we're very happy to get a game of his caliber and his ability. And being from a championship team, he knows how to win and we're very excited about it."

Harvin has had problems with neck, hamstring and ankle injuries, and the New York Daily News reported last week that Harvin has undergone multiple surgeries on an ankle and foot and has a "hole" in his bone that will require more surgery." However, Spielman said the Vikings had checked into the issue and that Harvin would not need surgery and could play right now.

One big advocate of the Harvin pick was Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson, who should benefit from the presence of a receiver who can create havoc for opposing defenses.

"That's who I was hoping we were going to get," Peterson said. "When the day started I didn't think he would be around when we were going to pick, but thankfully he was. Clearly he's a good addition, and I look at him as a playmaker. He's going to get a lot of chances in our offense to show what he can do, and he's going to be able to spread the defense out and give us another dimension. Defenses aren't going to be able to give as much attention to the run with him on the field."