If They Stay Then Who Will Go?

With the Vikings nearing their 15 minutes of draft day fame, they are keeping surprisingly mum about their intentions, and three scenarios are beginning to develop.

Last year, the Vikings did everything but send Ryan Sims a dozen roses after the Lions took Joey Harrington -- convinced Sims would be their pick at No. 7 in the 2002 draft.

This year, there is much less talking about intentions, but VU has been told three scenarios are playing themselves out.

It looks as though when the Vikings pick at No. 7, DT Jimmy Kennedy will still be available. If so, the most logical scenario is that the Vikings will take him.

A growing sentiment after watching a lot of game film is that CB Marcus Trufant might become a surprise selection. He has all the physical skills of top CB draftee Terence Newman but is an inch shorter and a quarter-step slower.

The third option would be to trade out of the No. 7 spot. VU has heard that two teams with two picks -- the Jets and Saints -- have targeted moving into the top 10. The Jets want to get to No. 3 and take WR Andre Johnson, while the Saints have targeted Dallas at No. 5 to get Newman or the Vikings at No. 7 to take Trufant. However both teams want the Saints 17th and 18th overall picks to move.

A final trade suitor remains the Ravens. Not convinced both Byron Leftwich and Kyle Boller will be available when the team makes its selection, the Ravens want to move up from No. 10 to No. 7 to have their choice of both. However, the Vikings may be hesitant to move behind two teams with new defensive-minded coaches at the wheel and potentially lose out on both Kennedy and Trufant in the process.

FRIDAY NOTES
* WR Charles Rogers should be concerned about going to the Lions if history means anything. Only once since the NFL-AFL merger has a WR gone with the No. 2 pick in the draft -- Johnny "Lam" Jones of the Jets. We all remember his Hall of Fame career, right? * Those wacky funsters at USA Today's Sports Weekly are at it again. After two months of rating DT William Joseph as the best defensive tackle, the same guys who said the Bears were playing the Twins on a Sunday night game came out with their mock draft. Where was Joseph? Going No. 13 to the Jets -- where VU has him going -- and as the fourth overall DT to go. Ironically, his influence continues to cloud their judgment, since they admit Dewayne Robertson will go No. 4 to the Bears, but claim he recently passed "Miami's Jimmy Kennedy" into the top DT spot. The problem? Kennedy played for Penn State. Joseph played for Miami.
* Don't hold your breath on the Bears taking Leftwich on the first round. Former Bucs and current Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo has taken an offensive or defensive lineman on the first round eight of the last 12 years, including each of the last four.