"Several mock drafts had the Minnesota Vikings selecting Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder in Thursday's NFL Draft - but in the second round. The Vikings made the first surprising pick of Thursday night when they took Ponder with the 12th overall pick, thrusting him into the position as Brett Favre's potential successor. The Vikings were as desperate for a quarterback as any team in the league. Favre, who finally is retiring after 20 seasons, attempted 217 of the 305 passes thrown by Vikings quarterbacks last season. Joe Webb, a rookie last season who played in five games, currently is listed as No. 2 on the depth chart behind Favre. He is followed by Patrick Ramsey and Rhett Bomar. Tavaris Jackson, who ended the season on the injured list with a toe injury, is not expected back. Ponder, 6-feet-2, 227 pounds, is considered a perfect fit for the Vikings' West Coast offense. He has overcome a series of injuries that limited him during his final 1½ years at FSU and although he may not have a gun for an arm, some believe he is the most accurate quarterback in the draft. And nobody questions Ponder's ability to read a defense. He received his undergraduate degree from FSU in 2½ years, earned his Master's in the spring of 2010 and pursued a second postgraduate degree last fall. That intelligence has translated to the football field. Ponder completed 62.1 percent of his passes while throwing 48 touchdowns and 28 interceptions in his three seasons as a starter. His stock began to rise at the Senior Bowl where he was named MVP after completing 7-for-13 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Still, the most optimistic mock drafts had him going late in the first round. Most believed he would taken in the early to mid-second round. The pick was met with skepticism and astonishment. One analyst on ESPN summed it up by saying, "I'm stunned," and the Vikings' website exploded. "Worst pick of all time," wrote one fan." Read more: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports...-qb-christian-ponder-selected-at-1441751.html
