BTSC 2012 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 3 -- Minnesota Vikings Select Matt Kalil, OT, USC

We're humming right along here - the third pick of the 2012 BTSC Community Mock Draft is in! Thanks go to crosby87 for the good work. Next up: Cleveland Browns for the first of two appearances, and they'll be represented by _ET_. -barnerburner-

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Living just south of Minneapolis has afforded me the luxury of seeing the Minnesota Vikings and their fan base up close and personal. The fan base is as it should be: die-hard, knowledgeable, in touch with its history (including of course the SB IX defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers) and thirsting for success. It is that very thirst that has most of them scratching their heads at recent drafts - most notably taking Christian Ponder in the top half of Round 1 last year.

I will allow you a moment to digest that fact, treat yourself to a chuckle, and continue on with the write-up…

As for the Vikings themselves, it is no great surprise that they are here picking in the third position. Last year saw a rookie QB take over for a washed-up QB. The rookie, Ponder, was over-valued on draft day and in over his head in most of his starts. The washed-up QB, McNabb, had no business starting for Minnesota after his cringe-worthy efforts for the Washington Redskins. That’s about all the ink I can muster for McNabb. As for Ponder, the front office is toeing the company line and insisting that he IS the long-term answer at quarterback. The players, the coaches, the fans, the media, aliens on far-away planets, and the Ponder family themselves are less convinced and are in definite wait-and-see mode. He did show some mobility - sorely needed when you consider his offensive line was a disgrace. Most Steeler fans delight in lambasting their OL, and not without cause. But if they were to really watch the Vikings OL for a quarter or two for comparison's sake, Chris Kemoeatu might have his own sandwich at Primanti’s.

OKAY - THAT WAS OVERSTATED.

But the Vikings’ tackles and guards are the butter that turn even the dullest defenses into steely knives. Considering the play of the QB and OL, you could conclude that Adrian Peterson is one of the greatest running-backs to ever play the game. Nine in the box? No problem. And Toby Gerhart filled in admirably at the end when AP went down with the dreaded ACL tear. AP is supposed to be back for the 2012 season start, so you could almost argue that the Vikings are strong at the position! But let’s not sound the obnoxious Nordic horn just yet. If the receiving corps was a ‘50’s band, they’d be called "Percy Harvin and the Nothing Else’s". Percy does a nice enough job, but would not be the band-leader elsewhere. The rest of the receivers are one dropped ball away from bartending at the House of Blues, and the TE’s are a pale shade of ordinary. Just being in the receiving room all week gives Percy migraines. Truth told, I’m getting a migraine just writing about them.

There’s the offense in a nut-shell, not too promising. And that’s the strong side of the ball…

Growing up, my mother used to say "if you don’t have something nice to say, blah-blah-blah" I forget the rest. But rest assured, my mother never saw the 2011 Vikings defense line up. Jeesh! What a hot mess. Still can’t believe one of those cats had 20+ sacks - you’d never know it! Jared Allen is awesome, just ask him.

I would love to be a fly on the wall mid-game in that defensive huddle, just to hear what Jared Allen must be saying to the rest of them. It had to be classic. The rest of the D-Line looked like overfed sled-dogs. Not moving. The linebackers should be called on-their-backers, and the secondary is still in critical condition at the Minneapolis Burn Unit. Like an overweight Goth musician or a poorly made quilt, this side of the roster is ugly and full of holes.

In short, this is a team in extreme disarray. The immediate future of this team should have most reasonable fans on a heavy dose of Jim Beam and Maalox…

Where to go, then, with pick number 3? Well let’s see:

Best Player Available: Matt Kalil

Biggest Need: Matt Kalil

Biggest Reach Last Year: Christian Ponder

Biggest Way To Protect Said Reach: Matt Kalil

Biggest Steeler Fan: crosby87

Biggest Ass: Roger Godell

After crunching the numbers, we the Vikings take MATT KALIL - OT, USC

And let me say in closing - I love the BTSC. Roll here every day. Sometimes I chime in, sometimes I don’t - but this place rules. Go Steelers.

BTSC 2012 Community Mock Draft Picks:

1. Indianapolis Colts -- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
2. Washington Redsinks -- Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor