A Cornerback for the Vikings at Number 12 in the Draft?
Adam New
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It’s less than three months until the 2022 NFL Draft.
When the Minnesota Vikings have their new head coach Kevin O’Connell in place, that is where the attention will shift. I love the draft. It was an alien concept to me as a Brit looking into a new sport from overseas many years ago, but now I enjoy draft season almost as much as I do the actual season.
The popular choice is a cornerback for the Vikings at number 12 in the draft this year.
There are other ways to go in the draft, one of the star edge rushers would be a welcome addition. If Kirk Cousins was traded, then you can look for his replacement in the draft, or maybe take one of the star linebackers, another significant need for the team. Right now, cornerback seems a safe bet, although a probable switch to a 3-4 defensive front gives more weight to selecting an edge rusher.
Cornerback has been a problem for a couple of seasons now, and as it stands, the only notable cornerbacks returning for the 2022 season are Cameron Dantzler, Kris Boyd, and Harrison Hand. Whether Patrick Peterson returns for a second season in Minnesota remains to be seen. If the Vikings are to take a cornerback at number 12, three names interest me.
Ahmed “Sauce” Gardner is the flavor of the month amongst the Vikings fanbase. If previous years are anything to go by, then that is likely to change. Draft stock will continue to rise and fall. Sauce is certainly a player worthy of excitement, and his draft stock has been on the rise, to the point he might not even be on the board at 12. If he is and the Vikings make the move, they will be getting a long athletic outside corner who fits best in zone coverage.
He has the impressive accolade of never giving up a touchdown in his three-year college career. The Draft Network notes his weaknesses as being grabby in coverage, which will need cleaning up., plus consistency issues with tackling, for example, dragging him down. There is plenty of talent here, though, and a player capable of playing a starting role in year one, which the Vikings need.
Derek Stingley Jr is arguably the most talented cornerback in this year’s draft.
He burst onto the scene as part of LSU’s National Championship winning team. Since then, injuries, coaching changes, and the stars from that Championship team moving on led to two disappointing seasons for Stingley Jr coming into this draft. Elite speed and athleticism, fluid hips, and ball skills are the traits that make him a generational talent. The two poor seasons have dampened the excitement and given the Vikings a chance at 12. Though, there is still a good chance he will be gone by then.
My personal choice is the guy who seems to be forgotten about, Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. He is the one who does everything with an exciting blend of size, athleticism, instincts, physicality, ball skills, and competitive toughness. He’s an outside man corner with good leverage and a thick frame who can also play zone and in the slot. With Stingley and Gardner receiving more hype at the moment, Booth Jr could be the guy available at 12. That would be fine with me — he is every bit the prospect of the other two.
If all three of those are gone by 12, then cornerback is off the menu for me. None of the other corners are worth taking that high, so I’d be looking for one on day two instead. Of course, trading back and taking someone like Trent McDuffie or Roger McCreary could be an option. I’m not sure this fan base could handle Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first move in a draft as a trade-back, though.
There’s no guarantee the Vikings will be looking at cornerback — selecting the best player available is always the right philosophy, in my opinion. If there’s a generational type of talent on the board, take them whatever the position. Free agency starts mid-March, and the roster can change shape before the draft day. Being so short on defensive backs, whether it’s cornerback for the Vikings at 12 in the draft or not, the Vikings will need to find some help from somewhere for a position. They are desperately short of resources.
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