Undrafted Free Agents

[Eli]

Duron Carter hasn't been signed - at this point he's just being given a tryout.

[Eli]

Rodney Smith, WR, Florida State

While the Michael Jenkins reference is humorous, Rodney Smith out of FSU is an intriguing wide receiver. Not 6'6" - he measured at the combine 6' 4 3/8" 225 lbs. Ran a 4.51 40.

From NFL.com:

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Tall vertical threat who is a surprisingly smooth runner in his routes. Displays excellent agility for his size. Can challenges defenses vertically from the slot or down the sideline. Good concentration to use his height and vertical on jump balls, also to track passes over his shoulder down the sideline. Uses his length, quickness, and attitude to attack blocking targets in the run game and clear the way for fellow receivers downfield.

WEAKNESSES Relatively lean, and must prove he can fight veteran pro corners during the route and in jump ball situations. Height gives corners a big target to hit in press situations. Must show he can sink his hips to run tight routes and separate downfield. Does not get many opportunities to catch passes in Florida State’s offense, will need to show strong hands when regularly targeted. Adjusting to low throws might be an issue at his height.

NFL COMPARISON Michael Jenkins

BOTTOM LINE If you’re looking for height in your receiver, 6-foot-6 Smith has plenty. But he’s also a smooth athlete for his height, who tracks the football well deep. He's also a good blocker in the running game. However, he doesn't always play up to his size and can lose the physicality battle at the catch point.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/ ... id=2539674

College stats:
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/pla ... ith-1.html

Watch his combine workout. The kid looks damned smooth and sure-handed. Not sure why he wasn't drafted. Maybe his college production? Different sites saying he looks rail thin, but I don't see that in the video. Athletic, long, huge hands, good blocker.

[Eli]

Inteesting retweet by Pelissero:

Tom Pelissero ‏@TomPelissero
Important detail. Could be why he's coming. RT @GBorgen: @TomPelissero Anderson was their long snapper also.

I was looking at the list earlier today wondering if any of the UDFAs were long snappers in college. Apparently Furman TE Colin Anderson was. Looks like Mike Priefer may want to clear house so that he has nothing but _his_ guys in the three dedicated ST positions. I'm REALLY starting to wonder about Priefer now. Getting the feeling that he's a total control freak and _that_ is the reason that he has a problem with Kluwe. He can't control him.

[Eli]

There's 18 guys here which would put the Vikes at 93 players. 3 over the limit. Not sure if Carter counts since he's a tryout. But they'll be cutting 2-3 players in the next few days I'm guessing, unless tryouts don't count ant 2 other of these players are tryouts.

I suspect 1 cut will be TJ Conley, unless Kluwe goes the way of Longwell. No way they take 3 punters to camp.

Rayon Simmons is also only a tryout. I read somewhere that the unsigned draft picks and tryout players don't count against the 90 man offseason roster limit - only guys under contract.

You're right about Conley. Kluwe is most likely going to make an issue out of being given (or not given) a fair chance to compete for the punting job. It would probably be in his best interest professionally to ask for his release now rather than later.

[PacificNorseWest]

Well, they can go ahead and cut Sherels right now. He's the worst corner on the roster and will no longer be returning kicks. Easy decision to me.

They'll keep him.

[Mothman]

Inteesting retweet by Pelissero:

Tom Pelissero ‏@TomPelissero
Important detail. Could be why he's coming. RT @GBorgen: @TomPelissero Anderson was their long snapper also.

I was looking at the list earlier today wondering if any of the UDFAs were long snappers in college. Apparently Furman TE Colin Anderson was. Looks like Mike Priefer may want to clear house so that he has nothing but _his_ guys in the three dedicated ST positions. I'm REALLY starting to wonder about Priefer now. Getting the feeling that he's a total control freak and _that_ is the reason that he has a problem with Kluwe. He can't control him.

Wow, you sure leapt to that idea quickly. What has Priefer done to arouse such suspicion? Maybe the Vikings just wanted a better punter and thought Colin Anderson was a good TE prospect. He's a big, athletic kid who was productive in college. Just because he has long-snapping ability, that doesn't mean they drafted him to take over the position and give Priefer someone he can control.

[Purple bruise]

North Carolina WR Erik Highsmith

From NFL.com:

So should the comparison be this guy is most like Calvin Johnson, Jerry Rice, AJ Green?
These guys went undrafted right












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[jeg067]

On Colin Anderson from nfldraftzone.com :

Colin Anderson is the most underrated tight end prospect in this draft.
Out of all the small school tight ends, he is the best pure all around athlete in my opinion.
I believe Anderson will be drafted and should be drafted to some NFL team.
He has great hands, and is very athletic.
He has great size and strength and is a very good down field blocker.

+ Interview :
http://nfldraftzone.com/draft-news/draf ... niversity/

[HardcoreVikesFan]

So should the comparison be this guy is most like Calvin Johnson, Jerry Rice, AJ Green?
These guys went undrafted right

Lol. It is pretty apparent Eli is using tounge-in-cheek humor.

I will admit, it is pretty funny to see undrafted guys 'compare' to players we are trying to replace.

[Eli]

Linebacker Nate Williams is another good looking prospect. He's 6'3", 241-249 lbs. Coming off of microfracture surgery in 2011, he played DE last year at Ohio State, most of the year in some pain. The Vikings list him at LB.

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/nat ... id=2539281

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/ ... ms_fe.html

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/202870151.html

I'd love to see some of these young guys push cruft like Dean, McKenzie and Mitchell off the roster. There are some guys they've brought in at linebacker who could actually develop into NFL starters, unlike the special-teamers and journeymen backups that have made up the Vikings linebacker corps for years.

[saint33]

I've said this before, but I have to disagree with your statement about guys like McKenzie and Dean, Eli. I think we've seen in the past what happens when the team ignores STs value and fills their roster with developmental player with down the road starting capability. Ideally, you'd like a player to possess both qualities. But players who excel in special teams are almost as important as players who start on defense, especially at crucial STs positions like LB and DB. The likelyhood that any of these kids develop into starting caliber players isn't very high, so if I'm going to bank on any of them to beat out McKenzie or Dean, then I'd hope that they can be equally as gifted on teams, because both guys played a pivotal role in our STs being ranked #1 in the league and why Priefer was named the STs coach of the year.

And I wouldn't be so quick to rule out Larry Dean as a potential starter either. I think he's a real darkhorse to earn that WLB role. I've been nothing but impressed with the kid since he earned a role on the team as an UFA. Yes he's undersized a bit, but he's got a great work ethic and shows up on the field both on STs and in the preseason on defense.

[Eli]

OT Mark Jackson from Glenville State was released yesterday.