Draft Audio Review: Sidney Rice

The Vikings’ selection of a wide receiver in the second round surprised very few people, but taking Sidney Rice over Dwayne Jarrett was a mild surprise. Hear from the Vikings’ decision-makers why they chose Rice, and hear from Rice on why he came out early as we look back at the Vikings’ 2007 draft, pick-by-pick.

The Vikings sure seemed to know what they were doing on draft weekend with their trades. While trading down in the first round was widely speculated, they stayed put in the first round when running back Adrian Peterson was available, but after calculating what they’d receive and who would be available three spots later in the second round, they did trade down and still got the wide receiver they were targeting, South Carolina’s Sidney Rice.

Why Rice over other options like USC’s Dwayne Jarrett?

“Well, he is bigger in stature. I think that’s big, and then great hand-eye, if he is even with you and it’s a jump-ball situation, he has shown the ability over and over again to come down with it,” Vikings coach Brad Childress said. “And then you always look at guys who are similar in terms of ability. A guy like Chris Houston, the (cornerback) from Arkansas that went I want to say just above him to Atlanta, we got to see him in a head-to-head situation as well as Chris Houston against Dwayne Jarrett the first game of the year and really thought Sidney Rice had his way with him. It was interesting to see similar talents and watch this kid give a great accounting of himself.”

Hear what else Childress and vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman had to say about Rice after they selected him.

Childress and Spielman on Rice: Listen to Audio

As for Rice, he told the assembled media during a conference call that he left school early to support his mother, who hurt her back 16 years ago and hasn’t been able to work enough to pay all the bills.

“She hasn’t worked in 16 years. She broke her back in 1991,” Rice said. “The disability and not being able to keep up her payments on certain things.”

Hear what else Rice had to say about his mother’s situation, his talk with Troy Williamson, what he knows about the Vikings, what his draft expectations were and more.


Sidney Rice Following Selection: Listen to Audio


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