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PASS RUSHER It’s still unclear how the Vikings plan to move forward with star pass rusher Danielle Hunter. They have until March 20 to decide if they want to pick up his $18 million roster bonus. The status of outside linebacker Anthony Barr is also in question. He isn’t currently under contract, and thus, the Vikings could decide to move on from him. No matter what happens with Hunter and Barr this offseason, the Vikings could afford to add another pass rusher. There should be some good options when they are on the clock.
David Ojabo (Michigan)
When it comes to Michigan pass rushers, Aidan Hutchinson is getting most of the attention. And for good reason. He’s among the favorites to be selected with the No. 1 pick in the draft. That said, Ojabo is certainly no slouch. His elite speed and quickness off the edge allows him to dance around blockers. He’s also very twitchy, and thus, can counter blocks with his ability to effortlessly change directions. He’s very raw and will need to develop at the next level. That said, Ojabo’s seemingly limitless potential is reason enough to spend some good draft capital on him.
Karlaftis scares me @ 12...
CornerbackYou can never have too many cornerbacks, right? That’s a mantra former head coach Mike Zimmer lived by during his tenure in the Twin Cities. Isn’t it ironic, then, that Zimmer left the cupboard pretty bare in the secondary? For the Vikings, there might not be a bigger need than cornerback this offseason. Patrick Peterson is set to hit the open market along with Mackensie Alexander, leaving Cam Dantzler and Kris Boyd as the only cornerbacks on the roster with tangible experience under their belt. Luckily for the Vikings, this prospect pool is deep at cornerbacks.
Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU)
There’s a chance Stingley is long gone by the time the Vikings are on the clock. He was a star at LSU as a true freshman, flashing elite ball skills, and looking like a lock to be the first cornerback taken off the board whenever he was draft eligible. That said, the narrative surrounding Stingley changed a bit as he struggled to replicate his production as a sophomore and junior. He also battled through some injuries during his collegiate career that might make NFL teams wary of taking him too early in the draft.
I understand the pause rationale, but I think the ceiling is too high to pass up @ 12
Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner (Cincinnati)
You won’t find a cornerback more physically imposing than Gardner in the upcoming draft. He’s blessed with a 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame and used it to his advantage during his career with the Bearcats. He developed into a legitimate shutdown cornerback over time, and according to Pro Football Focus, never allowed a touchdown in his collegiate career. He’s got good athleticism, too, and plays with the swagger needed to excel at the position.
Dont see him falling to 12...
Trent McDuffie (Washington)
Nevermind the 5-foot-11, 195-pound frame. What he lacks in size compared to some of his peers, McDuffie makes up for with his aggressiveness in coverage. His prowess in both man and zone coverage should allow him to make an immediate impact at the next level. He also excels against the run, using his speed and quickness to shed blocks, then has fearlessness to come up and make the tackle. While he might not be the top cornerback on the draft board, the Vikings would be thrilled to add McDuffie to the roster.
Seems like a possible reincarnate of AW...
https://www.twincities.com/2022/02/26/wh...-position/
Sauce might run a pedestrian 40 paired with a bad 3 cone. I've definitely seen enough to think he's not a blazer. Might drop. I think he goes low 4.5. Might be enough for him to be there.
Stingley just scares the scrap out of me.
Quote: @JustinTime18™ said:
Sauce might run a pedestrian 40 paired with a bad 3 cone. I've definitely seen enough to think he's not a blazer. Might drop. I think he goes low 4.5. Might be enough for him to be there.
Stingley just scares the scrap out of me.
Combine is this week right? OR soon? Should start to be able to stack these guys.
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
@ JustinTime18™ said:
Sauce might run a pedestrian 40 paired with a bad 3 cone. I've definitely seen enough to think he's not a blazer. Might drop. I think he goes low 4.5. Might be enough for him to be there.
Stingley just scares the scrap out of me.
Combine is this week right? OR soon? Should start to be able to stack these guys.
Yup, starts on Tuesday. DBs will be the last group to go.
There is a huge hole on the Vikings defense, actually a few... but to me there is no bigger hole than the one at corner. The Vikings must come out of FA and the draft with at least 1 top cover corner that can be counted on for years to come. With the their cap, a draft choice would seem to be the best way to get an elite corner. The current draftable 1st rounders are (in no order) Gardner, Stingly, Booth, McDuffie, Elam, and McCreary.
Right now, pre combine, I can't see Sauce Gardner falling out of the top 10 unless Stingly is taken first. That is a very big if. He clearly would have gone top 5 two years ago but his 20 and 21 seasons will put doubt in teams that are interested in taking him. Because of this he could very well be there at #12 and I think the Vikings need to pass.
So, who is the #3 corner and should they be taken at #12 if available? I think McDuffie is trending up and Booth seems to be all over from top 15 to late first. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so it will depend on a team falling in love with a guy.
Elam and McCreary both look to have 1st round grades but can be had later in the first. After that there are still plenty of quality CBs that will be drafted in the first 2 days and quite possible the best pro CB will be in that group.
The question I see is can the Vikings afford to take Stingly if he falls to them. The injury problem screams PASS to me but I am only looking at what can be found on the web. If we take him I will be excited but I will also be holding my breath waiting to see if he is motivated and if can regain his freshman form.
Another thought, and this will irk the anti Rick crowd, but the Vikings could easliy trade down and still get a top corner. Yes Rick is gone but the entire personell staff is still there and they are used to trading and will clearly discuss this heading into the draft. I can also see teams looking to deal with the Vikings because of their trading past. With the current needs on this team an extra late 2nd or third would be hard to pass on if they could add another player that could contribute in '22.
So there it is, it will be intersting April 28th when the Vikings are on the clock.
Vikings need to add two corners IMO. I don't see bringing P2 back. I just don't think that's efficient spending. I'm not vehemently opposed to it, but I'd rather bring in a mid-tier CB and draft one in the 1st round.
If you've got a starter from free agency, and Dantzler, you could probably afford to gamble a bit on DSJ. But I get the fear. I think Sauce goes in the top 5 or 6. McDuffie is my kind of pick. He reminds me a little of Justin Jefferson (as a draft pick). 3rd or 4th guy because he possesses no elite traits, but does everything well and has top notch character. It's hard to miss with guys like that.
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