Fasolamatt passes along this link, whereby the author proposes there are six rules to a successful NFL draft (he also explains why via the link). Obviously, there is more to it than that, but we thought for a bit of fun we'd try to gauge how well the Vikings have done in following these rules in the "modern era" of their drafts (1998-present). So, here we go:
RULE 1: DOPE SMOKERS ARE A BARGAIN. The Vikings certainly have followed this advice. Randy Moss at No. 21 in 1998? Percy Harvin at No. 22 in 2009? Both with marijuana in their backgrounds. Both NFL Offensive Rookies of the Year who helped them to the brink of the Super Bowl.
RULE 2: STEER CLEAR OF THE RECENTLY ARRESTED. Moss had legal troubles very early, but we don't recall anything that would be considered "recent" when the Vikings took him. We can't remember any others that fit the bill, though feel free to scan this list and correct us.
RULE 3: TAKE A CHANCE ON SMALL. Harvin again applies here. And Mewelde Moore. So, too, do 2000 draft picks Tyrone Carter and Troy Walters, who had varying degrees of success.
RULE 4: DON'T SLEEP ON THE SAMOANS. Not sure the Vikings have drafted a Samoan, but again correct us if we're wrong.
RULE 5: BE KIND TO FAT TIGHT ENDS. The Vikings have only drafted three tight ends since 1998, and two are still on the roster: Jim Kleinsasser (second round, 1999 and Jeff Dugan, 7th round, 2004). Kleinsasser, in fact, is the longest-tenured pro athlete in the Twin Cities. We're not calling either one of them fat. You can, but we wouldn't.
RULE 6: TAKE A FLYER ON A LATE-ROUND QB EVERY YEAR: This is where the Vikings slipped for a while. After drafting Daunte Culpepper No. 11 overall in 1999, they didn't take another QB in the draft until T-Jack in 2006. Since then, they've nabbed Tyler Thigpen (7th, 2007) and J.D. Booty (5th, 2008) as late-round flyers. Thigpen started 11 games for KC in 2008 and has a chance to stick in the league for a while; Booty is apparently now property of the Houston Texans. Might the Vikings have found their QB of the future had they taken any flyers from 2000-2005? Maybe, but they thought they had one in Culpepper for a lot of those years.
Your thoughts on other draft rules or how the Vikings have followed them in the comments.
