With the third pick of Pride of Detroit's 2012 NFL mock draft, the Minnesota Vikings select USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil. Dave Marshall is serving as the Vikings' general manager, and his reasoning for the pick is below.

Matt Kalil is a prototypical offensive lineman built for the National Football League, and he provides a cornerstone left tackle for the Minnesota Vikings for years to come. He was named a first-team All-American in 2011 and was also a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award. He was the anchor of a USC Trojan team that allowed an FBS-low eight total sacks over the entire season, none of which were allowed by him.

He possesses a 6'7", 295-pound frame and comes from a long line of offensive linemen. His brother Ryan was drafted in 2007 by the Carolina Panthers and his father was previously drafted by the Buffalo Bills.

His skill set perfectly fits our offensive needs. He's a tremendous run blocker, has quick feet and outstanding lateral movement. He has sub five-second speed in the 40, a rarity for someone of his size. Because of his great lateral speed, we envision Kalil providing solid protection to Christian Ponder and also opening up large holes for Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart and the running game.

Matt brings intangibles as well. He brings a consistency and intensity that makes us confident that he will be an immediate starter, and with our coaching and his work ethic, a perennial Pro-Bowler for years to come. We are very proud and excited to welcome him to the Minnesota Vikings family.

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Check out the 2012 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft tracker for a look at all of the picks.

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