The selection of USC cornerback Mekhi Blackmon was a pick viewed highly by some, but was he the best move the Minnesota Vikings made in the 2023 offseason?
That is exactly what Pro Football Focus’ Josh Liskiewitz wrote in his 2023 offseason report for the Vikings.
Considering how disastrous the Vikings’ secondary was last season, Blackmon could be an immediate contributor as a rookie. He transferred to USC from Colorado in 2022 and blossomed into an elite coverage player. He allowed just a 43.1% completion percentage into his coverage and forced 17 total incompletions while picking off three other passes.
The Vikings cornerback room is one of mystery right now. The only clear-cut starter is free agent acquisition Byron Murphy Jr. and a lot of question marks outside of that. Blackmon, Andrew Booth Jr., Akayleb Evans and Joejuan Williams will all be vying for a starting job on the outside. Blackmon’s experience and fit for the system give him a good chance to compete for a spot on day one.