Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson
It's funny how the league works sometimes.
Back in 2004, when I was covering the Minnesota Vikings, I had several pre-draft chats with agent Ken Harris. He was giving me hints of a young unknown player the Vikings were showing interest in.
But he was a low-to-mid round prospect so whether or not the Vikings would pull the trigger on this prospect was difficult to project, Harris warned. Plus, the kid was a long snapper so that made the proposition even murkier. As it turned out, the Vikings never got the chance at that young long snapper.
The Kansas City Chiefs took Jared Allen in the fourth round, the No. 126th overall pick, out of Idaho State.
The Vikings missed their chance on that long snapper who came out of nowhere and became a starting defensive end midway through his rookie season. Now, of course, Allen is considered one of the top pass rushers in the NFL. And the Vikings still want him. Allen just completed a visit with the Vikings, who are trying to trade for him before the draft, along with Tampa Bay.
Thus, the Vikings may have lost out on a long snapper but are still in the hunt for a difference-making defensive end four years later.
