VIKINGS 101

Now that both the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Senior Bowl (won by the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff-led North squad) have been played, things are beginning to take shape for the NFL Draft, which will be held April 26 to 28 in New York City.

There are still a lot of dominos left to fall with the scouting combine, pro days and numerous individual workouts remaining, but initial mock drafts like this one aren't meant to be accurate. Their main purpose is to introduce you to the players who are likely to go high in the draft and give you a general idea of their skill sets and where they might fit best.

1. Indianapolis Colts: QB Andrew Luck – Stanford

You'd be hard-pressed to find any mock drafts that don't have Luck's name at the top of the board. He is quite simply the most impressive prospect to enter the draft since…well, maybe ever.

2. Washington Redskins (projected trade): QB Robert Griffin III – Baylor

The Rams reap the rewards of having the No. 2 overall selection by trading back to the sixth spot with the Redskins. Mike Shanahan gets the most athletic quarterback he's ever coached. Don't let his athleticism fool you into believing he's just another running QB – he's also a much more polished passer than people give him credit for.

3. Minnesota Vikings: OT Matt Kalil – USC

Unless he's gone by this point or the team gets a killer trade offer, Kalil is a no-brainer. They Vikings need help across the board, but it's too early to pick a wide receiver and the only cornerback with a grade high enough is a poor fit for the Tampa-2 defense. They'll get Ponder's blindside protector for the next decade.

4. Cleveland Browns: CB Morris Claiborne – LSU

There will be a lot of clamoring for the Browns to trade up for RG3 or to take Okla. St. receiver Justin Blackmon with this pick, but you can never have too many cornerbacks in this league. Pairing Claiborne with former first-round pick Joe Haden would give the Browns one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OT Riley Reiff – Iowa

I fully expect Reiff's stock to soar prior to the draft. He's a big, athletic kid who should be able to step in instantly at left tackle. This would allow new coach Greg Schiano to move Donald Penn to the right side, where he's probably a better fit, while giving him solid bookends to protect QB Josh Freeman and open holes in the running game. Reiff is the perfect fit here.

6. St. Louis Rams (projected trade): WR Justin Blackmon – Okla. St.

After trading back four spots, the Rams still get their man in Blackmon. The two-time Biletnikoff Award winner is a clone of former teammate Dez Bryant, but without all the baggage. He should help Sam Bradford have a bounce-back year under new coach Jeff Fisher.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: G David DeCastro – Stanford

In the second surprise of the draft (already), Jags new head coach Mike Mularkey takes perhaps the safest prospect in this year's class. DeCastro will step in day one and team with former high picks Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton to form one of the NFL's best young offensive lines.

8. Carolina Panthers (subject to coin flip): DE Quinton Coples – UNC

The Panthers lamented losing defensive end Julius Peppers in free agency. Now, they add another former Tar Heels defensive end in a similar mold to help replace him. Coples impressed all week in Senior Bowl practice and should be a high pick.

9. Miami Dolphins (subject to coin flip): OLB Whitney Mercilus – Illinois

New coach Joe Philbin will be tempted to take a receiver (Alshon Jeffery/Michael Floyd/Kendall Wright) in this slot, but instead will settle for a pass rush specialist to team with Cameron Wake. A lot of people will question the selection of Mercilus over "safer" outside linebacker prospects Melvin Ingram and Courtney Upshaw, but Mercilus has a much higher ceiling than those two.

10. Buffalo Bills: OT Jonathan Martin – Stanford

The Bills (and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick) are ecstatic in this scenario. They stay put and land arguably the second-best offensive lineman in this year's class. Martin is NFL-ready after playing in Jim Harbaugh's scheme at Stanford for the last four years.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (subject to coin flip): OLB Melvin Ingram – So. Carolina

The Chiefs add another top-tier talent to their emerging front seven by taking the All-SEC defender. Ingram led the Gamecocks with nine sacks. He should team with Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson to form one of the best linebacking corps in the league.

12. Seattle Seahawks (subject to coin flip): RB Trent Richardson – Alabama

The Seahawks could surprise everyone by taking a quarterback here (my money would be on Arizona St.'s Brock Osweiler or Arizona's Nick Foles), but can't pass up the Heisman runner-up from Alabama. Richardson would give coach Pete Carroll the two-back rotation he loves with holdover Marshawn Lynch.

13. Arizona Cardinals: CB Dre Kirkpatrick – Alabama

For the second year in a row, the Cardinals use their first-round selection on a cornerback. They would love to trade down, but with all of the top-tier offensive linemen and quarterbacks already gone, they're forced to take their top available player. In this case, that would have to be Kirkpatrick.

14. Dallas Cowboys: CB Stephon Gilmore – So. Carolina

North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins might be more highly touted, but Gilmore offers more of the size that Jerry Jones covets at the cornerback spot. Gilmore has tremendous potential.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: MLB Luke Kuechly – Boston College

Ask anyone what the Eagles' main weakness was last year and you will almost certainly get 'linebackers' as an answer. Kuechly, a two-time All-American, is the most active linebacker I think I've ever seen enter the draft. He's a tackling machine and a born leader – two things the Eagles are in desperate need of.

16. New York Jets: OLB Courtney Upshaw – Alabama

If he's still on the board here, you'll probably hear loud chants of Upshaw coming from the upper deck of Radio City Music Hall. The Jets need a pass rushing presence from the outside. Who better than possibly the best player on possibly the best defense in college football history. Upshaw tallied 16.5 sacks over the last two seasons with the Tide.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland): RB Lamar Miller – Miami

Once teams really study Miller on film, his stock will probably rise. I haven't seen quickness in and out of the hole like Miller's in years. He'd be more than a compliment to holdover Cedric Benson, he'd instantly become the starter – and an early candidate for offensive ROTY honors.

18. San Diego Chargers: OT Mike Adams – Ohio St.

Adams' stock should rise after an impressive week of practice at the Senior Bowl. The Chargers are in desperate need of some new, healthy bodies along the offensive line. Adams would probably start his career on the right side, then move to the left once McNeill is done with the Chargers.

19. Chicago Bears: WR Michael Floyd – Notre Dame

New offensive coordinator Mike Tice and QB Jay Cutler would be doing cartwheels if they get Floyd this late in the first round. I personally have Floyd as my top receiver prospect. He has the size and strength to get off jams and plays the ball in the air better than almost anyone. One of the steals of the draft if he goes this late.

20. Tennessee Titans: OLB Zach Brown – UNC

Titans' coach Mike Munchak would probably love to add someone to the offensive line, but there is no value left there so he goes with his top-rated prospect. Brown is a physical freak at 6'3", 240 lbs. who could very well run his 40-yard dash in the 4.4-second range.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: S Mark Barron – Alabama

The Bengals haven't had a difference-maker on the back-end of their defense since David Fulcher in the late-1980s. Like Fulcher, Barron is a massive safety at 220 pounds, but he has the speed to be more than just an in-the-box player.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta): QB Ryan Tannehill – Texas A&M

Even if Mike Homgren and Pat Shurmur have faith in Colt McCoy as their starter, they can't count on him staying healthy for the entire 16-game schedule and could use an upgrade over Seneca Wallace. Tannehill is a perfect fit for the West Coast offense with his impressive athleticism and ever-improving arm.

23. Detroit Lions: MLB Vontaze Burfict – Arizona St.

Stephen Tulloch was vital to the Lions' success in 2011, but he's a free agent and the team has several big money decisions to make. Burfict seems like a perfect match for the Lions' tenacious, bad-boy style and should be able to put his attitude issues behind him in a solid locker room led by Kyle Vanden Bosch and Ndamukong Suh.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: MLB Dont'a Hightower – Alabama

The fifth Crimson Tide player (fourth on defense) to be selected in the last 13 picks, Hightower is the hard-nosed linebacker that defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau covets. He'd probably sit behind veterans Lawrence Timmons and James Farrior for one season, as most rookies do on that defense. Hightower would give the Steelers their most physically imposing middle linebacker since Levon Kirkland roamed the middle of the field.

25. Denver Broncos: DT Michael Brockers – LSU

Broncos fans will undoubtedly be divided on whether to use this pick on a quarterback or not. John Fox loves his defensive linemen, though, and Brockers has tremendous potential as a disruptive, pass rushing tackle. He's a little green after leaving school following his sophomore season, but new defensive coordinator has a history of developing solid defensive tackles.

26. Houston Texans: WR Alshon Jeffery – So. Carolina

Finally, the Texans get a receiver to take some pressure off Andre Johnson. That could be a huge understatement, though, because Jeffery has the size (6'4". 230 lbs.), the speed and the hands to become the best receiver in this class. He dominated in the toughest conference in college football and could even surpass Johnson one day if he keeps his focus.

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans): C Peter Konz – Wisconsin

Analysts will be begging for the Pats to grab a pass rusher here, but Bill Belichick will never pass up a solid offensive lineman. Konz is a big, athletic, experienced kid who played in a pro style offense. He becomes Dan Koppen's heir apparent.

28. Green Bay Packers: DT/DE Jerel Worthy – Michigan St.

With a good combine, Worthy might become a top-20 prospect. He manhandled every blocker that got in his way at MSU and he could play any of the three down lineman positions in Dom Capers' 3-4 scheme. The Packers sorely missed Cullen Jenkins this year. Worthy could be the guy to replace him and take some of the pressure of former first-rounder BJ Raji.

29. Baltimore Ravens: WR Kendall Wright – Baylor

It's safe to say Anquan Boldin isn't quite living up to his billing as a No. 1 receiver. Wright should be able to contribute immediately on the outside, out of the slot and even the odd carry here and there. Wright is this year's best route runner and could be a steal this late.

30. San Francisco 49ers: CB Janoris Jenkins – No. Alabama

Arizona receiver Juron Criner is a real possibility here, but how could Jim Harbaugh pass up arguably the second-best cover corner in this year's draft? Jenkins is a little raw on and off the football field, but like Jimmy Smith in Baltimore last year, Jenkins would fall in line in a veteran-laden defensive locker room.

31. New York Giants (subject to Super Bowl win/loss): G Cordy Glenn – Georgia

The offensive line showed improvement from mid-season on, but the Giants ranked dead last in the run game last year and the interior line is a big reason for that. He could start immediately at the left guard spot and maybe eventually take over the right tackle spot from the aging Kareem McKenzie.

32. New England Patriots (subject to Super Bowl win/loss): DT Devon Still – Penn St.

Well, it's not an edge rusher, but Still could team with Vince Wilfork in the middle to give the Patriots one of the most fearsome groups of pocket-crushing tackles in the NFL. If they did want to go with an edge rusher here, look out for the names Vinny Curry (Marshall) or Donte Paige-Moss (UNC). They could also go with outside linebacker with Lavonte David (Nebraska) or Bobby Wagner (Utah State).

Top Players Remaining

QBs – Brock Osweiler (ASU), Nick Foles (Arizona), Brandon Weeden (Okla. St.)

RBs – Chris Polk (Washington) Doug Martin (Boise St.)

WRs – Mohamed Sanu (Rutgers), Juron Criner (Arizona), Jarius Wright/Joe Adams (Arkansas)

TEs – Dwayne Allen (Clemson), Coby Fleener (Stanford), Michael Egnew (Mizzou)

Gs – Kelechi Osemele (Iowa St.)

Cs – Ben Jones (Georgia)

DTs – Brandon Thompson (Clemson), Alameda Ta'amu (Washington)

DEs – Nick Perry (USC), Jared Crick (Nebraska), Donte Paige-Moss (UNC)

OLBs – Vinny Curry (Marshall), Lavonte David (Nebraska), Sean Spence (Miami), Bobby Wagner (Utah St.)

MLBs – Audie Cole (NC St.)

CBs – Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska), Brandon Boykin (Georgia), Dwight "Bill" Bentley (La. Laf.), Cliff Harris(Oregon)

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