As expected, the two elite college quarterbacks were selected 1 and 2 in the 2012 NFL Draft. The Indianapolis Colts selected Andrew Luck

as the first player and the Washington Redskins selected Robert Griffin III with the second pick. Here are the results 32 picks of the first round.

Stay tuned for future updates on the 2012 NFL Draft

Minnesota Vikings fans could loss their team and be left out in the cold if Minnesota lawmakers don’t act fast.  That’s because the current Vikings owners are threatening to move the team to Los Angeles if they don’t get financial support and assurances to build a new stadium.

Things have gone so far that the NFL front office took action Friday by meeting with Minnesota lawmakers about the importance of approving financial backing for a new stadium.

“There is no ultimatum, but we did clearly talk about L.A. We did clearly talk about that [being] an open market,” Minnesota Sen. Julie Rosen said. “I do believe there is a feeling in some legislators and even in some folks throughout the state that they would never leave. So it was good to hear from the NFL, and from a very prominent owner, that they do have the right to move or be sold.”

Could it happen?
Yes it could.  In fact a precedence has already be set.  Back in 1984, Colts owner Jim Irsay, citing an antiquated and inadequent stadium in Baltimore, moved the team from Baltimore to it’s current location Indianapolis (Baltimore regained an NFL team – the Ravens – when the NFL expanded for the 1996 NFL season).

What are the odds the Vikings Will Move To LA?
Who knows? I mean the possibility exists, especially if current Vikings owner, Zygi Wilf,  sells the team (rumor has it he wants to sell the team).  If the team were sold, the new owners wouldn’t have a history in Minnesota and wouldn’t feel sentimental about leaving.  The owners would be buying the team to make money, and if that means moving the Viking to LA, they would do so.

I wonder if there is an NFL betting line on the Vikings moving?

What should NFL fans expect?
Minnesotans take great pride in their long NFL history.  We can expect that the lawmakers will feel the pressure of their constituents (who are also Vikings fans) and approve funding of a new stadium – otherwise they will be voted out of office.

Don’t forget, other NFL teams have used to same ploy (threatening to move the team) to get stadium improvements, tax credits and other benefits from the home state.

All in all, I really don’t see it happening.   The Vikings will stay in Minnesota.

What would it be like for the NFL (and football fans) to lose the Vikings – Packers and Vikings – Bears rivalries.

No way!

Everyone knows that the first two picks of the 2012 NFL draft are locked up but what will happen with the next pick?

The Minnesota Vikings have the 3rd pick in the NFL draft.  Their GM Rick Spielman says the Vikings are open to the possibility of trading their first round pick. He even suggested they would be willing to listen to trade offers while the Vikings are on the clock on April 26.

It’s a no-brainer that the Colts will take Andrew Luck with the first pick and the Redskins will select Robert Griffin III with the second, but anything is possible when it comes to the 3rd pick, owned by the Vikings.

“I think those picks will go relatively quickly,” Spielman joked. “But I’m sure there will be some conversations before that pick if we’re going to (make a trade).”

Spielman said he doesn’t need to have a trade in place in advance of the draft.

“There are times we have been in (the war room) and we’ve done deals on the clock,” Spielman said, noting his flexibility to make such a deal if the right offer comes up. “It’s an unknown, but you’re prepared for both ways. We’ll be ready and we’ll have a good idea of what we think the value of that third pick is.”

The Vikings strategy for the NFL draft seems to be to fill a hole at left tackle.  USC’s Matt Kalil would fit the bill but the Vikings may be holding out hope that another NFL team is willing to make a trade offer the Vikings just couldn’t refuse.  If that’s the case, Minnesota’s strategy could be trade the third pick and settle for a quality player a little lower in the draft.

“If we want to get out of that pick, we’ll (determine) what it will take to get out of that pick,” Spielman said. “Plus you have to be careful of how far you would want to go back (down in the draft). You have to know what you’re looking at, depending on how far you go back. Are you getting yourself out of the (range of) the supposedly blue-chip type of players?”

Spielman expects that the Vikings will finalize their draft day strategy once the organization and board meetings met in the next week or two.

If you know anything about the NFL draft, expect the unexpected.