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.Vikings' Spielman expects depth in NFL draft
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/new...ngs-spielmanms-_-sports-650-words/?sports&nfl
By Chip Scoggins
Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
(MCT)
MINNEAPOLIS — Rick Spielman hasn't finished poring over all the film and evaluations for every NFL draft prospect, but the Vikings' vice president of player personnel said Thursday that he believes the talent pool is particularly deep this year.
"It's going to be a really strong draft," he said. "There are a lot of talented juniors that came out in this draft, and it's going to add a lot of depth in this draft. It bodes well for us. To pick 30th (overall in the first round) and still be able to get quality players is a huge plus."
The process of identifying those players hits full stride next week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Spielman said the Vikings contingent will consist of roughly 60 people, including coaches, scouts, executives, medical personnel and two people who handle psychological testing.
"Basically everybody has a role and a responsibility," said Spielman, who oversees the Vikings draft. "All the people that go have a function there. Either the position coaches, the scouts, the medical staff, the people that are doing the psychological testing. So it is a pretty big project as far as organization, and making sure everyone is on the same page, and when everyone gets down there knowing what we have to get done and what we have to get answered from all those aspects."
The combine is not just limited to testing a player's speed in the 40-yard dash or how many times he can bench press 225 pounds. Spielman said getting thorough medical evaluations and being able to interview prospects and have them undergo psychological testing also are valuable tools in the process.
Each team can interview 60 prospects formally at the combine in 15-minute intervals. Spielman said team officials will talk to the other players informally.
"Our coaches, scouts will try to interview every player down there and get in front of them at some point while they are down at the combine because you can grab them during the day if they are not scheduled for night interviews," he said.
Spielman said the psychological testing also helps shed some light on potential problems. He said the questions can raise red flags that require additional information on a player.
"Sometimes the success of a player may not always have to do with just his physical ability but his mental makeup," he said. "You can have a guy with great physical ability but if he doesn't have the heart or the want-to or the passion, then sometimes those guys aren't successful. Hopefully that kind of stuff will be identified through this psychological testing."
Spielman said no player has ever declined to take the tests, but he knows a number of them will skip some or all of the physical testing. Whether they're acting on the advice of their agents and/or trying to hide a deficiency, draft prospects routinely elect not to take part in some of the physical portions at the combine.
And that clearly bothers Spielman.
"When someone from the West Coast tells you that he's not going to run because of the time change, to me he's hiding that he can't run (fast)," he said. "I just remember Adrian Peterson didn't have any hesitation going down there and doing everything that he had to do.
"Then you get into some of these quarterbacks (saying) 'Well, they're not going to throw at the combine because they're not familiar with the receivers.'
"But sometimes you can't always blame the kid. Sometimes they're taking advice from their counsel and their agents. You look at that too.
"There are agents out there who I won't mention who have a history of not having their players do stuff at the combine so you have to take that into consideration too, which I don't understand because they spend all this money getting them prepared for the combine and then not doing anything at the combine."
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/new...ngs-spielmanms-_-sports-650-words/?sports&nfl
By Chip Scoggins
Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
(MCT)
MINNEAPOLIS — Rick Spielman hasn't finished poring over all the film and evaluations for every NFL draft prospect, but the Vikings' vice president of player personnel said Thursday that he believes the talent pool is particularly deep this year.
"It's going to be a really strong draft," he said. "There are a lot of talented juniors that came out in this draft, and it's going to add a lot of depth in this draft. It bodes well for us. To pick 30th (overall in the first round) and still be able to get quality players is a huge plus."
The process of identifying those players hits full stride next week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Spielman said the Vikings contingent will consist of roughly 60 people, including coaches, scouts, executives, medical personnel and two people who handle psychological testing.
"Basically everybody has a role and a responsibility," said Spielman, who oversees the Vikings draft. "All the people that go have a function there. Either the position coaches, the scouts, the medical staff, the people that are doing the psychological testing. So it is a pretty big project as far as organization, and making sure everyone is on the same page, and when everyone gets down there knowing what we have to get done and what we have to get answered from all those aspects."
The combine is not just limited to testing a player's speed in the 40-yard dash or how many times he can bench press 225 pounds. Spielman said getting thorough medical evaluations and being able to interview prospects and have them undergo psychological testing also are valuable tools in the process.
Each team can interview 60 prospects formally at the combine in 15-minute intervals. Spielman said team officials will talk to the other players informally.
"Our coaches, scouts will try to interview every player down there and get in front of them at some point while they are down at the combine because you can grab them during the day if they are not scheduled for night interviews," he said.
Spielman said the psychological testing also helps shed some light on potential problems. He said the questions can raise red flags that require additional information on a player.
"Sometimes the success of a player may not always have to do with just his physical ability but his mental makeup," he said. "You can have a guy with great physical ability but if he doesn't have the heart or the want-to or the passion, then sometimes those guys aren't successful. Hopefully that kind of stuff will be identified through this psychological testing."
Spielman said no player has ever declined to take the tests, but he knows a number of them will skip some or all of the physical testing. Whether they're acting on the advice of their agents and/or trying to hide a deficiency, draft prospects routinely elect not to take part in some of the physical portions at the combine.
And that clearly bothers Spielman.
"When someone from the West Coast tells you that he's not going to run because of the time change, to me he's hiding that he can't run (fast)," he said. "I just remember Adrian Peterson didn't have any hesitation going down there and doing everything that he had to do.
"Then you get into some of these quarterbacks (saying) 'Well, they're not going to throw at the combine because they're not familiar with the receivers.'
"But sometimes you can't always blame the kid. Sometimes they're taking advice from their counsel and their agents. You look at that too.
"There are agents out there who I won't mention who have a history of not having their players do stuff at the combine so you have to take that into consideration too, which I don't understand because they spend all this money getting them prepared for the combine and then not doing anything at the combine."