Another One Pounds the Table for Vikings New CB
First, it was Louis Riddick, a former NFLer and Philadelphia Eagles executive who now works for ESPN. He named-dropped Stephen F. Austin cornerback Charles Demmings as a sleeper to watch for the Minnesota Vikings. Now, the author of The Beast, Dane Brugler, has followed suit.
Minnesota’s cornerback room has another developmental name worth your time.
Demmings’s name is being broadcast all over the place for big things; we’re only four months away from determining if the experts have it right.
Demmings Brings Speed and Ball Production to Minnesota
Perhaps Demmings will be the real deal after all.
Brugler: Keep an Eye on Demmings
Sizing up each team’s draft haul after the fact, Brugler wrote Monday, “Day 3 pick who could surprise: Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin. Aside from Demmings always being a great quote, he leaves everything he has on the field. With his cover athleticism and mental toughness, Demmings was a worthy bet in the fifth round, and he landed with a team that needed cornerback depth.”
Demmings slides onto Minnesota’s depth chart as the CB4 behind Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, and James Pierre. He could be in line for playing time as early as September.
The Backstory on Demmings
Demmings, standing 6’1″ and weighing 195 pounds, boasts 4.41 speed. In college, he recorded 9 interceptions, developed a reputation for his length, significantly improved his tackling at Stephen F. Austin, and developed his ability to run stride-for-stride with vertical threats.
The primary concerns, however, are his less-challenging competition level and a physical downfield style of play that often led to “grabby” moments and penalties.
SB Nation’s Tyler Brooke on Demmings: “Demmings’ physical tools immediately stand out on tape. His tall, wiry frame with good length allows him to press, jam, and disrupt wide receivers off the line of scrimmage, messing with their route timing. He’s not just physical playing press, either, as he plays with legitimate physicality at the catch point, in run support, and in all phases of his game.”
“On top of that frame and physicality, Demmings has the long speed and length to be a blanket when targeted vertically. He can play comfortably from a trail technique, relying on his athleticism and length to help him attack the catch point or go after the ball himself, resulting in tons of PBUs and INTs on his stat sheet.”
Most onlookers have decided that, because Brian Flores presumably has more control of the draft process with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah out of the building, Demmings is a “Flores pick,” which bodes well for his eventual insertion in the gameday lineup.
Brooke added, “All of that, along with Demmings’ explosive trigger downhill from off coverage and smooth hip fluidity, makes him a ball of clay that the right coaching staff could quickly develop into a plus starter in the NFL. For as willing a tackler as Demmings is, the technique needs to be cleaned up to bring down more threatening ball carriers at the NFL level.”
“He also needs to drastically improve his ability to disengage from blockers on the perimeter, especially considering his size and length should be assets against receivers trying to block him up.”
The Good CB Theory
A peculiar (and bad) trend has continued for the Vikings’ cornerbacks. Since drafting Xavier Rhodes in 2013, the team has consistently struggled to develop drafted corners capable of securing a second contract. The history casts an interesting light on rookie Demmings’s future with the team.
The following list of CBs drafted since Rhodes highlights the doldrums:
— Kris Boyd
— Jabari Price
— Trae Waynes
— Antone Exum
— Mike Hughes
— Andrew Booth
— Akayleb Evans
— Harrison Hand
— Mekhi Blackmon
— Cameron Dantzler
— Mackensie Alexander
That reveals frequent turnover at the position, with very few players — basically none — establishing a long-term presence. The group also excludes two other Vikings corners who tragically passed away: Khyree Jackson and Jeff Gladney.
Perhaps to fix the sheer mathematical probability, the Vikings will hit on Demmings. After all, the drought has to end at some point, right?
Daily Norseman‘s Christopher Gates on Demmings: “The scouting reports show that Demmings’ strengths show the most when he’s allowed to play press coverage and play on the boundary, as he has the size and speed to keep receivers from gaining too much separation on him.”
“He’s going to have a bit of an adjustment coming up from the Southland Conference to the National Football League, but he’s likely going to be able to at least make a contribution on special teams right away while he learns the nuances of the NFL game under Brian Flores and company in Minnesota.”
Big Board Rankings
The Vikings found Demmings at Pick No. 163 in Round 5. To give you an example of the draft’s community opinion, here’s where he was expected to be picked last weekend:
Pro Football Network: 117 (Round 4)
Todd McShay: 122 (Round 4)
Pro Football Focus: 139 (Round 4)
ESPN: 141 (Round 5)
The Athletic: 159 (Round 5)
Bleacher Report: 242 (Round 7)
CBS Sports: 285 (Undrafted)
Depending on your favorite draft site, the Vikings grabbed a possible Round 4 steal in Round 5.
Demmings turned 23 a few weeks ago.
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