There are three names up for consideration as the third overall pick for the Vikings next Thursday night.
General manager Rick Spielman said at a press conference Thursday that the team will choose between Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and USC T Matt Kalil. Spielman, via Jeremy Fowler of the Pioneer Press, said that the front office has given all three players equal grades and they are now sifting between them to figure out which one will be on the card they hand to Roger Goodell.
“What you’re saying is, ‘All these guys have equal ability. What do you want? Do you want the receiver? Do you want the tackle? Do you want the corner?’”
Now comes the part where we insert the standard proviso that there’s a chance the team could trade the pick. Spielman said he’s received offers, but that he will wait to see what develops on draft night before making any final decisions on that front. And we’ll follow that up with the standard proviso that Spielman could know which of the three the Vikings will take and is using the perception of indecision to solicit better offers than he’s already heard from a team that is dead set on one of those three players.
You could insert those statements after just about everything a general manager says between now and the moment their pick is announced. Welcome to draft week.