Vikings Draft Picks: Training camp report card

Draft picks are crucial to the Vikings' rebuilding efforts, and a draft-day deal helped the team secure 10 of them. Unfortunately, injuries have cost them the loss of fourth-round WR Greg Childs (torn patellar tendons) for the season, and limited the opportunities in camp of third-rounder CB Josh Robinson and sixth-rounder CB Robert Blanton.

On the bright side, the two first-round selections (LT Matt Kalil and S Harrison Smith) are living up to their billing, while the risky move to cut veteran K Ryan Longwell after drafting K Blair Walsh in the sixth round is looking like a wise decision (6 of 7 field goals thus far).

If the team gets production out of a few more players (4th-rounder TE Rhett Ellison has impressed and seventh-rounder LB Audie Cole had two pick-sixes on Friday against Buffalo) this season, and the remaining players (WR Jarius Wright and DT Trevor Guyton) develop over the next few years, the 2012 draft could go down as a successful one.

Top pick: LT Matt Kalil (first round, No. 4 overall) -- The Vikings traded down from the third to fourth pick and received some extra draft picks, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t want LT Matt Kalil. They had him slated to solve their aging offensive line, and thus far in the preseason he is proving that he might be the answer.

Kalil has sparred with sack-master DE Jared Allen throughout training camp and Allen has given him plenty of pointers and lessons about protecting the quarterback at the NFL level. Kalil has garnered praise from his coaches in both preseason games, and his quarterback Christian Ponder has benefitted with time to throw and make good decisions. Kalil has been every bit one of the best offensive tackles in the draft. Grade: A-

No. 2 pick: S Harrison Smith (first round, No. 29 overall) -- In dire need of help in the secondary, The Vikings gave up a second-round pick to move up into the first to nab Notre Dame S Harrison Smith. Smith quickly climbed the depth chart in camp, warranting a start in the second preseason game against Buffalo. Smith played the entire first, as the Vikings took a long look at him.

“I thought he did an excellent job," coach Leslie Frazier said after the game. “His presence, his confidence that he played with -- he was poised out there. He has a chance to be a pretty good safety in our league. We’re counting on him to be a starter. I haven’t seen anything, without looking at the tape, that would upset that.”

With good speed to the ball, a penchant for hitting and a little bit of attitude that was exhibited in the first training camp fight (with veteran WR Percy Harvin), Smith has the right skill, desire and demeanor to shore up the Vikings deep secondary. It is early for the complete appraisal, but the early returns are good. Grade: B+

No. 3 pick: CB Josh Robinson (third round, No. 66 overall) -- CB Josh Robinson caught the coaching staff’s eye at the NFL Combine where he turned in the fastest time in the 40-yard dash (4.3 seconds), but an early hamstring injury in camp has limited his opportunites to showcase that speed. Robinson sat out the first preseason game and then got on the practice field the last week of camp, where he saw plenty of action with the first string. On Friday night against Buffalo he saw a lot more.

“I really did (like what I saw),” Frazer said. “It was great to have Josh out there after fighting a hamstring injury, and I thought he did a real good job. From what I observed, he held his own, showed his speed on the one deep ball where they tried to throw it over the top of him. He was aggressive when he had a chance to come up. We have high hopes for him; we hope he is going to be a major factor in our secondary this season. It was encouraging to see how he played.”

A healthy Robinson’s opportunities will increase -- as a punt returner as well as at cornerback -- and if this small sample size is any indication, his grade will improve. Grade: B-