Young and the Rested

The Vikings have been the talk of quarterback draft chatter, but one has to wonder how keen their interest is in Vince Young.

Anyone who saw this year's National Championship Game between Texas and USC at the Rose Bowl saw the superhuman performance of quarterback Vince Young. In the days and weeks that followed, it was believed Young had a chance to be the top pick in the draft. If not that, most likely No. 2.

But in that paralysis by overanalysis that marks player assessments at draft time, Young is now projected to go as early as No. 3 or as late as No. 10 or 11 on draft day. How can that be? It's all part of the poker game that teams now play prior to the draft -- in Young's case, the game is Texas Hold 'Em.

It's ironic how the Vikings have played their cards. With a sharp interest shown in Jay Cutler, the interest in Young has been quite different. At first, when asked about the players on the list of 30 or so rookies that were coming in for visits, head coach Brad Childress initially said that he hadn't seen Young's name on the list.

Since then, it has been confirmed that Young is likely to visit the Vikings next week. But, there's a rub -- Childress and the coaching staff are off until a week from Monday. Considering the price that it would cost to draft Young -- more likely the Vikings' first-round pick and perhaps as many as two more day one picks to get up to the sixth or seventh draft slot, it would hard to fathom bringing a player in for an interview that wouldn't be attended by the head coach or the top offensive assistants.

The Vikings have done a lot more homework for this year's draft than they have for perhaps any in team history. Late this week, the team brought in three players for visits -- two of whom are mid-round prospects. Aside from likely first-round LB DeMeco Ryans, the team also brought in USC tight end Dominique Byrd and Northwestern defensive lineman Barry Cofield -- neither of whom is expected be off the board until the third round or later.

There's no question that Young would be an exciting addition to the Vikings if he can slip far enough that it makes financial sense to give up additional picks to move up to grab him. But, if the coaches aren't going to be there for the visit, does it really makes sense -- or even give the indication that the Vikings' interest is legitimate?