Christian Ponder predraft analysis

The predraft analysis, stats and projections for the Vikings' first-round pick.

Christian Ponder, Florida State, 6-2¼, 222 – Fifth-year senior…Three-year starter who started all 35 games he played at FSU…Completed 596 of 965 passes for 6,872 yards with 49 touchdowns and 30 interceptions…Concerning injury history, having missed time with a Grade-3 shoulder separation in 2009 and elbow injuries in 2010 that required two surgeries…Very smart player (not only has graduated, but has earned his Master’s degree and is working on his doctorate) who commands his offense and reads defenses effectively…Has good accuracy, completing 62 percent of his career passes and 65 percent over the last two years…Has good toughness and will take a shot in order to deliver a pass…Has a quick delivery and gets rid of the ball in a hurry…Maintains accuracy on the run and, even when he takes off, he keeps his eyes looking downfield for potential big plays…Coaches loved him and he led by example…Two-time team captain…Named MVP of the Senior Bowl…Has excellent accuracy, but it decreases the farther he gets from the line of scrimmage…Isn’t overly aware of pass rushers and will take the kind of shots that are turnovers in the NFL…Took almost every snap out of the shotgun and will need a lot of refinement…Had elbow/shoulder problems the last two seasons that are a big cause for concern to some teams…Too often had just one read and locked on him constantly…Will look awful at times when consistently pressured…Ran a 4 63 40 at the Combine with a 34-inch vertical jump and a 9-8 broad jump

PROJECTION: Ponder is a player who could go in the second round or drop well into Day 3 He seems to be a pigeon-hole player that likely can’t be an immediate starting option, is best suited for a West Coast offense because of the lack of throwing velocity he has on deep balls and a history of throwing arm problems are all red flags that could get the drafting teams to not take the risk before the third day of the draft