As mentioned in the first part of this series, the Minnesota Vikings need cornerbacks. The good news is that this draft class is deep at the position with plenty of prospects who fit the mold that Mike Zimmer likes as part of his defense.
In the second part of this series, we look at some of the prospects who could be there for the Vikings in the second round and how they would fit if they made their way to Minnesota.
Bryce Hall (Virginia)
During the 2018 season, Hall was one of the top corners in the nation, grading second among all corners, according to Pro Football Focus. His senior season was cut short due to an ankle injury, but he has plenty of qualities that should be appealing.
At the top of the list, Hall is an excellent defender thanks to his length (32.5″ arms were in the 79th percentile of this year’s class) and physicality. The downside is that Hall is more of a scheme defender and plays better when he’s tasked with zone coverage.
As a leader of the Cavaliers’ defense the past three seasons, Hall could be a nice addition on and off the field. If Zimmer can live with his deficiencies, he’d make a great Day 2 target.
A.J. Terrell (Clemson)
Terrell checks all the boxes as a potential Vikings prospect as he checks in at 6’1″, 190 pounds and has a physical style that helps in coverage and stopping the run.
Terrell is a sticky defender that has the long speed to match up down the field, but also make impact plays to stop the short game. Where he really stands out on tape is his ability to get into the backfield as both a blitzer and in run support.
He needs to get stronger and work on his tendency to grab receivers, but with proper coaching he could be a starter with considerable upside.
Jaylon Johnson (Utah)
An athletic corner with plenty of confidence is never a bad addition and that’s exactly what Johnson profiles as. Although he’s a little undersized for the position, he knows how to study defense and use his own strengths to make plays.
In three seasons as a starter for the Utes, Pro Football Focus revealed he never allowed a passer rating higher than 57.9. He also graded out as the 20th corner in the nation and has a tendency to use his physicality and his smarts to win downfield.
There are some things that may not mesh well such as his tendency to go for the ball rather than the safe play, which may cause him to get burned. But as a corner who produces on the field and puts the time in off of it, he’s a solid prospect.
Cameron Dantzler (Mississippi State)
The one thing that stands out for Dantzler is that he is a long prospect. While his combine numbers don’t back that up, running his tape shows that he uses that length to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and not let them go.
At 6’2″, he also looks like he’s running around on stilts on the field. That’s helped Dantzler lockdown opposing wide receivers in the red zone and allow just one touchdown during his three seasons with the Bulldogs.
His weakness stems more from his technique as he plays a little robotic on the outside. But with an ability to turn into a wide receiver with the ball coming in his direction, he has some ball-hawking tendencies that the Vikings sorely need.
Damon Arnette (Ohio State)
If the Vikings are looking for someone that can jam up an opponent’s passing game, Arnette is a fine target. During his time with the Buckeyes, Arnette showed the ability to excel in press coverage and although it drew flags at times, it was extremely effective.
His aggressive approach also helped him make plays on the ball. He also used a blend of physicality that might have to be toned down, but the results speak for themselves.
Arnette should be a second-day selection despite his sub-average speed (4.56s 40-yard dash) and age (23).
