When the Minnesota Vikings hired Brian Flores as their defensive coordinator, he was expected to have a heavy say in how the team approached the off-season.
Not only is Flores a former head coach, but the former Miami Dolphins headman reportedly rejected head coaching offers to become the Vikings defensive coordinator.
In free agency, the Vikings signed cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., an inside-out defensive back who offers positional flexibility in Flores’ defense, to a two-year contract. Murphy was ultimately one of two marquee free-agent signings for the Vikings, joining edge rusher Marcus Davenport.
During the 2023 NFL Draft, the Vikings continued to stock Flores’ armory, drafting three defensive players with their six selections.
USC cornerback Mekhi Blackmon was the team’s third-round selection and should give the Vikings another versatile cornerback for Flores’ scheme.
After trading down in the fourth round, the Vikings continued to stockpile Flores’ secondary, selecting LSU defensive back Jay Ward with the 134th pick.
Ward was considered a “reach” by the NFL Draft media, coming in as the 179th prospect on Pro Football Network’s Consensus Big Board.
While teams don’t follow consensus big boards when making their selections, the Vikings obviously saw something that prompted them to make him the pick ahead of some other talented defensive backs.
A deeper dive into Ward’s film explains why Flores likely signed off on the pick, but his incomplete skillset paints a murky picture of his ability to impact the Vikings’ defense in his first season.