With the 2011 regular season freshly over it is time to go back and evaluate every team’s draft classes based on performance this year. I will use a formula to grade each pick and calculuate a final grade for each team. The
extremely disappointing Minnesota Vikings are the next up.
ROUND 1 – graded from a 0-5 scale
ROUND 2 – graded from a 0-4 scale
ROUND 3 – graded from a 0-3 scale
ROUND 4 – graded from a 0-2 scale
ROUND 5 – graded from a 0-1 scale
ROUND 6 & 7 – no scale, point awarded if player was productive
*I reserve the right to award a bonus point to any player who outperformed their draft position.*
FINAL GRADING SCALE
90-100 – A
80-89 - B
70-79 - C
60 – 69 - D
0-59 - F
2011 Draft Class
Round 1: Christian Ponder QB, FSU - 1,853 Passing Yds, 13 TDs, 13 INTs, 219 Rushing Yds
Analysis: Ponder started off well and was an efficient passer and good scrambler but his play leveled off after about his fourth start. He was injured and ineffective and his backup Joe Webb often played better. He has potential but will likely be in a QB battle in camp next season.
Grade: 3.5/5
Round 2: Kyle Rudolph TE, Notre Dame – 26 Rec, 249 Yds, 3 TDs
Analysis: The Vikings brass and their fans had to expect a little more out of Rudolph this season. He did miss a few games due to injury but in what was an offense lacking weapons in the passing game, logic would suggest he’d have put up better numbers.
Grade: 2.75/4
Round 4: Christian Ballard DT, Iowa - 13 Tackles
Analysis: Ballard didn’t make much of an impact during his rookie season despite playing in all 16 games and starting two of them.
Grade: .5/2
Round 5: Brandon Burton CB, Utah - 8 Tackles
Analysis: Burton had trouble getting on the field for one of the worst secondaries in the league.
Grade: 0/1
Round 6: DeMarcus Love OT, Arkansas – no stats whatsoever
Analysis: Love coulnd’t get on the field.
Grade: 0/0
Round 6: Mistral Raymond S, South Florida - 22 Tackles, 1 INT
Analysis: Raymond was terrible in coverage but he did muster 22 tackles and a rare Vikings interception this season, and that is worth something.
Grade: .5/0
Round 6: Brandon Fusco C, Slippery Rock – Played in 3 games
Analysis: Fusco played in three games for the Vikings this year, when most had him being strictly a practice squad player.
Grade: .25/0
Round 6: Ross Homan LB, Ohio St.- CUT
Analysis: Homan didn’t impress the Vikings coaching staff and was cut in the preseason.
Grade: 0/0
Round 7: D’Aundre Reed DE, Arizona – 0 games played.
Analysis: Reed was a practice squadder for the Vikes this season.
Grade: 0/0
Round 7: Stephen Burton WR, West Texas A&M - 2 Rec, 38 Yds.
Analysis: Burton had 2 catches in 2011 which was two more than anyone predicted.
Grade:0/0
TOTAL SCORE 7.5 /12
FINAL GRADE: 63% D
Analysis: The Vikings 2011 season was terrible and their draft choices didn’t fare much better. Ponder heads into the 2012 season as the likely starter but with a bunch of question marks swirling around his pretty boy face. Kyle Rudolph needs to get more involved in this offense as does Christian Ballard on the defensive side. There is still plenty of hope for this class but the return after year one is pretty crummy.
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