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Waiting a bit could be wise for QB-seeking Vikings

By WTOP Staff

DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Pro Football Writer

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings need a young quarterback to ride into the future, and with the eighth overall pick in this draft they’ll have plenty available.

For all the headlines generated at the top of the class by Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater, though, the Vikings could find the guy who fits them the best after the first round.

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman can’t afford to miss again as he did with Christian Ponder three years ago. With Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick and Nick Foles as recent examples, teams have found successful starters on the second day of the draft. This year, for all the lingering uncertainty about Manziel, Bortles and Bridgewater, a relatively rich second tier gives the Vikings reason to wait. So does incumbent Matt Cassel, the veteran who re-signed.

Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo and Zach Mettenberger likely will be waiting on Friday, perhaps for a call from Spielman.

“Rather than push quarterbacks up higher because of need, I think teams put them on their boards and stay true to their boards,” said NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock, who gave first, second or third-round grades to 10 quarterbacks, his most ever.

The Vikings will start with eight picks for the seven rounds, with the eighth, 40th, 72nd, 96th, 108th, 148th, 184th and 223rd overall selections. The extra third-rounder came from Seattle for Percy Harvin.

Here are five things to know about this year’s Vikings outlook:

DON’T FORGET DEFENSE: Hiring Mike Zimmer as head coach was the first move toward addressing a deficient defense. Committing dozens of millions of dollars to free agents was the next step. The draft will be just as important. Linebackers Anthony Barr and C.J. Mosley and cornerbacks Justin Gilbert and Darqueze Dennard are possibilities for the first round if the Vikings wait for a quarterback, which could allow them to slide down a bit and collect an extra pick or two by trade.

THE QUARTERBACK EXPERT: New offensive coordinator Norv Turner has put together productive offenses all over the league with all sorts of levels and types of talent, and Spielman and Zimmer have made clear their faith in Turner’s opinion on this critical decision. The three of them and quarterbacks coach Scott Turner, Norv’s son, traveled together to various pro day workouts to evaluate the top prospects.

“There’s a lot of guys that are polished and have been extremely well-coached and they’re ready to go and you may not see a big upside,” Turner said. “What you’re looking for, to me, is guys that in two or three years can be a Pro Bowl-type caliber player.”

ABSENCE OF EARLY-ROUND ARMS: The Vikings have a scant history of drafting and developing quarterbacks, with only three first-round selections (Ponder, Daunte Culpepper in 1999 and Tommy Kramer in 1977) and two second-round picks (Tarvaris Jackson in 2006 and Bill Cappleman in 1970) to show for this position. Yes, Fran Tarkenton was taken with the 29th overall selection in 1961, but back then that was the third round.

DEPTH NEEDED: After letting Toby Gerhart leave as a free agent, the Vikings will look hard at a rookie backup for Adrian Peterson. The Vikings took Gerhart with the 51st pick in 2010; they can certainly wait at least that long to grab a quality complement to the 29-year-old star. No running backs were taken in the first round in 2013, a trend likely to continue, with top prospects Carlos Hyde and Tre Mason widely projected as second-round picks. Terrance West and Ka’Deem Carey are two options for the Vikings in middle rounds.

NEW DYNAMIC: Zimmer, unlike many of his predecessors, was hired with clarity on who he reports to. Spielman’s leave-no-stone-unturned style seeks consensus, though, and Zimmer’s evaluation of the defensive players in particular will carry real clout.

“I don’t hold my feelings back, you know, so I’m going to go ahead and say what I think,” Zimmer said, adding: “Now there are some things I may be more an expert in, because that’s what I do every day. But with Rick and the scouts, I’ve been extremely impressed with all of those guys.

“As far as the relationship, I know there’s always questions, ‘How you doing with the GM?’ and all that stuff. Fantastic. He is a good guy. He’s a little bit like me. He’s a little bit sarcastic at times, and we give each other a hard time, but we really respect each other when we’re there, and when we come out of the room, we’re going to come out of the room together.”

___

AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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