NFL Draft Countdown: #30 Minnesota Vikings

Problem is Favre threw a last second INT against the Saints in the NFC Title game and visions of Super Bow glory were quickly dashed on one single play.  Now Favre watch begins anew but all signs point to Favre being a Viking in '10.

Free agency:

The Vikings lost free agent RB Chester Taylor to their division rival Chicago Bears, leaving them with a small hole behind Adrian Peterson.  Taylor was one of the most valuable back ups in the NFL having proven his worth with a 1,200 yard season before Peterson's arrival.  This would be a position for the Vikings to target in the NFL draft, if there is a player worth of a selection at RB with the 30th overall selection.

Draft Needs and Targets:

The Vikings need to get younger on defense with DT Pat Williams not getting any younger and likely winding down the last year or two of his career.  Williams is a big bodied DT that is the Vikings' primary run stopper up front.  He commands double teams and fills rushing lanes as well as any other D-Lineman in the league.

With that in mind if a player like DT Jared Odrick of Penn State, DT Dan Williams of Tennessee or DT Brian Prices of UCLA is there at 30th overall the Vikings could take a shot at a player like that.

However since they don't have a clear overall need and can draft primarily for depth or if you want to target what is considered a need, CB would be the first place the Vikings would likely go.  Meaning a player like Devin McCourty from Rutgers could be on the  Vikings' radar to help solidify the secondary.  McCourty is solid against the run but is also a very fluid athlete, in his hips and his change of direction ability.  McCourty showed well at the NFL combine that he doesn't lose a step when asked to open up his hips or to change direction while in coverage.  He was also a very highly successful special teams player at Rutgers blocking nine kicks during his career for the Scarlet Knights.

Other obvious CB prospects include Alabama's Kareem Jackson, and Florida State's Patrick Robinson two CBs that would directly address a perceived weakness.

As with most top teams the Vikings don't have a lot of weaknesses and could certainly draft the best player available, meaning there is no real way to predict which direction they will go.  In the later part of the first round where the talent there isn't far off from the talent in the middle to late part of the second round, in terms of overall impact they could plug in a player that most fans would least expect them to target.