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The Grand Poobah
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By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
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NFL teams are permitted to conduct 30 private workout sessions leading up to the draft. Often, teams will waste a few of those sessions as a smokescreen, meeting prospects they have no interest in drafting. However, studying a teams' list of workouts usually offers a glimpse into its drafting game plan.
Minnesota Vikings -- The Vikings have used several of their recent workouts on quarterbacks and linebackers, arguably their two biggest positions of need. The Vikings have scheduled workouts with QBs Vince Young (Texas) and Jay Cutler (Vanderbilt) next week.
Will Jay Cutler fall to No. 17? Could the Vikings be looking at LB Ernie Sims? Our experts put the Vikings on the clock.
Minnesota reportedly would consider moving up a few spots in order to draft Young, should he slip to the 10th overall pick (owned by the Cardinals) or beyond. There is also a sense that the team isn't willing to move up for Cutler, but would select him if he is still available at pick No. 17.
If the Vikings are unable to secure a quarterback in the first round, their attention will turn to the linebacker position. The team would love for Florida State's Ernie Sims to slip, but knows that is an improbability. Iowa's Chad Greenway would be given strong consideration, as would Alabama's Demeco Ryans, who is scheduled to visit the team on Friday. Ryans would be a reach with the 17th pick, but could become an option should the Vikings elect to trade down in the first round.
The Vikings also had a private workout recently with Minnesota RB Laurence Maroney. While quarterback and linebacker are bigger needs, the Vikings might elect to take advantage of this year's strong running back class by selecting Maroney in the middle of the first round. Maroney would be a good fit for new head coach Brad Childress' version of the West Coast offense and would be eased into a rotation that includes three situational-type backs in Chester Taylor, Mewelde Moore and Ciatrick Fason.
If the Vikings do not draft a quarterback in Round 1, look for them to address the need soon after. Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst worked out privately for them this week and would be a decent value with the Vikings' second-round pick (48th overall).
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Santonio Holmes would make sense for the Chiefs. Kansas City Chiefs -- The Chiefs also have been busy working out prospects at their top positions of need -- cornerback, wide receiver and defensive end. Cornerbacks who visited most recently include Jonathan Joseph (South Carolina) and Richard Marshall (Fresno State).
Ohio State WR Santonio Holmes, who would be a very good value at No. 20 overall, reportedly impressed the coaching staff during his workout. Kansas City also has brought in defensive ends Mathias Kiwanuka (Boston College) and Manny Lawson (N.C. State) for further evaluation.
Quarterback carousel
The top-three quarterback prospects in this year's class -- Matt Leinart (USC), Young and Cutler -- have racked up some serious frequent-flier mileage recently. Young visited the Titans on Wednesday, just hours after Leinart finished up his meeting with the team. Young worked out on campus on March 22 and also had a private workout for the Titans in Austin the following day.
During the three weeks between his first and second private sessions with the team, Young also has gone through individual workout sessions with several teams, including the Texans and Dolphins. He is scheduled for at least three more workouts (Vikings, Jets and Browns) over the course of the next week.
Cutler will work out for the Jets on Sunday, followed by Leinart on Tuesday and Young on Thursday. Leinart does not have a private session scheduled with the Vikings but, as mentioned, the team is expected to play host to Young on Monday and Cutler the following day.
Rush linebackers rising
As recently as five years ago, undersized defensive end prospects such as Derrick Burgess (Eagles third-round pick in 2001) and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (Packers' fifth-round pick in 2000) were considered NFL misfits.
Now, with the league in the midst of a 3-4 defensive scheme craze, teams are clamoring to find rush linebackers who can make the same type of impact that DeMarcus Ware (eight sacks as a rookie for the Cowboys) and Shawne Merriman (10 sacks as a rookie for the Chargers) made as first-round picks in 2005.
This year's prime beneficiaries promise to be Kamerion Wimbley (Florida State) and Lawson, both of whom played defensive end in college but project best as 3-4 outside linebackers in the NFL. Neither Lawson nor Wimbley were considered first-round talents throughout most of their collegiate days, but exceptional postseason workouts have seen both skyrocket up many draft boards.
With six teams, employing at least a hybrid of the 3-4 defensive scheme, armed with draft picks between Nos. 12-21, there's a strong possibility Wimbley and Lawson will come off the board in the middle of Round 1.
Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN Insider.
Scouts Inc.
Archive
NFL teams are permitted to conduct 30 private workout sessions leading up to the draft. Often, teams will waste a few of those sessions as a smokescreen, meeting prospects they have no interest in drafting. However, studying a teams' list of workouts usually offers a glimpse into its drafting game plan.
Minnesota Vikings -- The Vikings have used several of their recent workouts on quarterbacks and linebackers, arguably their two biggest positions of need. The Vikings have scheduled workouts with QBs Vince Young (Texas) and Jay Cutler (Vanderbilt) next week.
Will Jay Cutler fall to No. 17? Could the Vikings be looking at LB Ernie Sims? Our experts put the Vikings on the clock.
Minnesota reportedly would consider moving up a few spots in order to draft Young, should he slip to the 10th overall pick (owned by the Cardinals) or beyond. There is also a sense that the team isn't willing to move up for Cutler, but would select him if he is still available at pick No. 17.
If the Vikings are unable to secure a quarterback in the first round, their attention will turn to the linebacker position. The team would love for Florida State's Ernie Sims to slip, but knows that is an improbability. Iowa's Chad Greenway would be given strong consideration, as would Alabama's Demeco Ryans, who is scheduled to visit the team on Friday. Ryans would be a reach with the 17th pick, but could become an option should the Vikings elect to trade down in the first round.
The Vikings also had a private workout recently with Minnesota RB Laurence Maroney. While quarterback and linebacker are bigger needs, the Vikings might elect to take advantage of this year's strong running back class by selecting Maroney in the middle of the first round. Maroney would be a good fit for new head coach Brad Childress' version of the West Coast offense and would be eased into a rotation that includes three situational-type backs in Chester Taylor, Mewelde Moore and Ciatrick Fason.
If the Vikings do not draft a quarterback in Round 1, look for them to address the need soon after. Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst worked out privately for them this week and would be a decent value with the Vikings' second-round pick (48th overall).
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Santonio Holmes would make sense for the Chiefs. Kansas City Chiefs -- The Chiefs also have been busy working out prospects at their top positions of need -- cornerback, wide receiver and defensive end. Cornerbacks who visited most recently include Jonathan Joseph (South Carolina) and Richard Marshall (Fresno State).
Ohio State WR Santonio Holmes, who would be a very good value at No. 20 overall, reportedly impressed the coaching staff during his workout. Kansas City also has brought in defensive ends Mathias Kiwanuka (Boston College) and Manny Lawson (N.C. State) for further evaluation.
Quarterback carousel
The top-three quarterback prospects in this year's class -- Matt Leinart (USC), Young and Cutler -- have racked up some serious frequent-flier mileage recently. Young visited the Titans on Wednesday, just hours after Leinart finished up his meeting with the team. Young worked out on campus on March 22 and also had a private workout for the Titans in Austin the following day.
During the three weeks between his first and second private sessions with the team, Young also has gone through individual workout sessions with several teams, including the Texans and Dolphins. He is scheduled for at least three more workouts (Vikings, Jets and Browns) over the course of the next week.
Cutler will work out for the Jets on Sunday, followed by Leinart on Tuesday and Young on Thursday. Leinart does not have a private session scheduled with the Vikings but, as mentioned, the team is expected to play host to Young on Monday and Cutler the following day.
Rush linebackers rising
As recently as five years ago, undersized defensive end prospects such as Derrick Burgess (Eagles third-round pick in 2001) and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (Packers' fifth-round pick in 2000) were considered NFL misfits.
Now, with the league in the midst of a 3-4 defensive scheme craze, teams are clamoring to find rush linebackers who can make the same type of impact that DeMarcus Ware (eight sacks as a rookie for the Cowboys) and Shawne Merriman (10 sacks as a rookie for the Chargers) made as first-round picks in 2005.
This year's prime beneficiaries promise to be Kamerion Wimbley (Florida State) and Lawson, both of whom played defensive end in college but project best as 3-4 outside linebackers in the NFL. Neither Lawson nor Wimbley were considered first-round talents throughout most of their collegiate days, but exceptional postseason workouts have seen both skyrocket up many draft boards.
With six teams, employing at least a hybrid of the 3-4 defensive scheme, armed with draft picks between Nos. 12-21, there's a strong possibility Wimbley and Lawson will come off the board in the middle of Round 1.
Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN Insider.