5 Options at CB for the Vikings First Draft Pick
After looking at four positions previously – RB, iDL, OL, S – I finish my look at the options for the Vikings’ first draft pick with cornerback.
5 Options at CB for the Vikings First Draft Pick
The Vikings could be fortunate to have one of the draft’s top corners drop into their lap at 24. If not, there is a wealth of options at CB that will potentially be available late in the first round or early on Day 2 if Kwesi Adofo-Mensah chooses the much-talked-about trade-down route. Here are the options for either scenario.
Jahdae Barron
Out of the top CB options, which include Jahdae Barron, Travis Hunter, and Will Johnson, it is Texas’ CB Barron who is the one that might be available at 24, although his rising draft stock is making it seem less likely the closer we get to draft day. Barron would be a great fit for Minnesota and be in the “can’t pass” group of players should he slide down to 24.
A versatile DB who would be a natural fit in the Vikings’ zone coverage with excellent instincts and anticipation, he is a starting-caliber player at safety, outside cornerback, or in the slot. His ability to move around would be a dream for Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. He has good speed, track background, and competitive toughness.
Together with his excellent instincts, anticipation, and spatial awareness in zone to make plays on the ball, Barron is the complete DB and would make a huge difference on the Vikings’ defense if they managed to get him.
Shavon Revel
Shavon Revel started the 2024 season on fire, but his breakout year was shut down in Week 3 due to a torn ACL. At 6-foot-3, Revel brings ideal height and length to the position as well as explosiveness and excellent recovery speed, which has seen his name flirting with first-round status.
Aged 24, with minimal starting experience, and on the back of a serious injury, Day 2 seems a better place to draft the East Carolina CB and hope to quickly develop his athletic traits and improve his anticipation and technique. His physical gifts point to press-man coverage being his home in the NFL. Should the Vikings wish for that kind of CB, then Revel could be worth taking a gamble on.
Trey Amos
The more versatile option would be Trey Amos out of Ole Miss. Amos brings an ideal blend of size, movement skills, and coverage scheme versatility to the cornerback position. His explosiveness and speed aren’t anything special, but Amos has the ideal size for a cornerback.
He can play press-man coverage with quick footwork and sound hand technique at the line of scrimmage while also having the skills to play off-zone coverage. He can tackle well enough on run defense assignments and would give Flores plenty to work with.
Benjamin Morrison
Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison is our fourth option. A smart, smooth-moving man coverage cornerback with good instincts for making plays on the ball and the ability to play in any system. Morrison should be on the Vikings’ radar if they trade into the very late first or early second round. He has a long, lean frame, and his short-area movements are explosive yet fluid.
His run defense and tackling are willing, but he has struggles due to his lack of strength and physicality. Morrison is praised for his high football IQ, competitive mentality, and maturity. He ticks many of the boxes Minnesota will be looking for in a potential CB2.
Darien Porter
Finally, we have Iowa State’s Darien Porter. Perhaps a long shot to be the Vikings’ first draft pick unless Adofo-Mensah trades back twice and deep into the second round. However, Porter is a rare prospect, a wide receiver-turned-cornerback with just one year of experience as a starter.
Porter had ideal ball skills with that WR background and a player who is a special teams ace — five blocked kicks in college. That sky-high potential and special teams prowess to fall back on while he develops his game at cornerback makes him a very interesting prospect.
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