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The 2022 NFL season is officially over and @MattAnderson_8 has the first mock draft after final snap
The Super Bowl has just concluded, which means that the NFL offseason is now in full swing for all 32 teams. We are finally going to get some sort of feel for the direction teams are going, which will directly influence how they approach the NFL draft.
Mock drafts are what make the NFL offseason not so mundane. In my latest mock draft, I’ll aim to give it my best shot as to where teams might go come April’s NFL Draft.
The Vikings went with one player on offense and defense in the latest PFN mock draft
The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of holes to fill on their roster. They’ll first get an opportunity to fill those holes through free agency, but after that, they’ll need to depend on the NFL Draft. On Saturday, James Fragoza of Pro Football Network released a three-round mock draft and had the Vikings selecting South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith in the first round.
“Cam Smith is an instinctual corner with quick feet and fluid hips. He was rarely tested at South Carolina, but when he was, he broke up 15 passes and intercepted four more. His prowess in press can unlock coverage looks that Minnesota couldn’t run with their personnel last season.”
In the third round, Fragoza had the Vikings selecting Penn State wide receiver Parker Washington.
“Parker Washington doesn’t garner enough attention. He’s a YAC threat with sure hands from the slot and has kick/punt return ability.”
Both of these selections would fill a need for the Vikings. They desperately need help at the cornerback spot given that they only have three players under contract for next season. Smith will help add a body to that group while bringing some physicality to a new Brian Flores defense.
As for wide receivers, the Vikings need to find someone who can pull the attention off of Justin Jefferson a bit more. While Washington isn’t a name a lot of fans know about, he’d provide the team with punt return ability and someone who can make all the catches you want.
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South Carolina prospect Cam Smith thinks he would fit well with the Patriots.
With the NFL Combine beginning at the end of the month, South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith sees the New England Patriots as a good fit.
Smith is coming off a season that saw him record 27 tackles and an interception for the Gamecocks. His best year came in 2021, when he tallied 41 tackles and three interceptions.
Smith would be an intriguing fit for New England, given the team’s ability to harness and identify talent at the corner position. Jonathan Jones, J. C. Jackson, and Stephon Gilmore are just three examples of what the Patriots have done recently at corner. Interestingly enough, Gilmore was also from South Carolina.
Smith seems ready to handle whatever comes his way. He told the Bleav Network on Wednesday that the Patriots would be at the top of his list.
“I see a lot of the man-to-man teams, like the Patriots and stuff like that,” said Smith. “I seen how they did with J.C. Jackson. How they just let him play man-to-man and just be on his island and stuff like that. So, teams like that, really, I would like that.”
“But I mean, I’m not shying away from no zone teams—no teams that run a lot of cover three and stuff like that. I’m not shying away from any of that because I can play that regardless. But I feel like me, with my stature and stuff like that, I feel like I should be in somebody’s face.”
NFL Draft Prospect Cam Smith likes the idea of playing for the Patriots 👀#SuperBowlLVII | Presented by @betonline_ag@cpriceglobe pic.twitter.com/vMT02mjTFu
— Bleav (@BleavNetwork) February 8, 2023
Smith could be an interesting depth option for the organization, as they look to beef up their secondary.
New England has a group of corners set to hit the open market, headlined by Jonathan Jones. Smith could usher in a new era at the position, as the Patriots look to continue building out the roster defensively.
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The 2023 NFL Draft is fast approaching and the cornerback class is loaded. @TheRealForno has his top 12 cornerbacks in this class
The 2023 NFL draft is approaching and there is one thing that’s clear.
This cornerback class is insanely deep.
In my initial study, I have written up full scouting reports on 12 cornerbacks and they all received grades of at least 79.0. That is a high third-round grade and 10 of those 12 got second-round grades.
Here is how I have the class currently graded before the NFL combine and athletic testing.
The Vikings hired Brian Flores as their defensive coordinator on Monday. @MattAnderson_8 highlights 5 players the Vikings could target
The offseason in the NFL is known for changes, whether that’s with coaches going to new teams or players. On Monday, the Minnesota Vikings announced that they’d be making a change at defensive coordinator by hiring Brian Flores.
Flores was with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season as a defensive assistant, but prior to that, he was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. In his tenure with the Dolphins, he led an aggressive, blitz-heavy defense. Hearing that will give fans a breath of fresh air, especially given what we had last season under Ed Donatell.
Flores’ aggressive defense needs players who are fast and versatile, and let’s face it, the Vikings’ defense from last year is an aging unit that could use an infusion of youth. On Tuesday, Tyler Forness took a look at cornerbacks that the Vikings could target. I continued on that by taking a look at some players, including a couple other cornerbacks that the Vikings could target this offseason.
Smith is an incredibly popular selection for the Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings hired defensive coordinator Brian Flores on Monday afternoon and that has changed a lot of things for the defense. They need to prioritize man-coverage cornerbacks with the scheme change and the NFL draft is the place to do so.
Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling agrees as he sent the Vikings South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith. Here is what Easterling had to say about Smith.
“If the Vikings hadn’t had one of the league’s worst defenses, they might have been able to make a deep playoff run. New defensive coordinator Brian Flores should make a huge difference, but he’ll need some help in term of personnel, particularly in the secondary. Smith is a complete player who could step into the starting lineup as an immediate upgrade.”
Smith was selected six times in last week’s mock drafts and it’s easy to see why. His athleticism and length would be a great addition to the Vikings.
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The Vikings stay home at all five picks in the latest seven-round Vikings mock draft
The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of different ways they can go in the NFL draft. There will be some discussion on what needs are most important but the Vikings can address most of them through both free agency and the NFL draft.
In the first mock draft that we did, the Vikings took a cornerback at 23rd overall and took a wide receiver in the second with a trade down. This one, we stayed at each pick and took good players that filled needs.
The Vikings continue to get mocked the Gamecock cornerback
There have been many players mocked by the Minnesota Vikings early this offseason, but there is one player in particular who seems to be the popular pick. On Tuesday, 247 Sports continued that trend in their latest mock draft, when they had the Vikings drafting South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith.
“Smith has put together a nice resume as a versatile defender who can shadow the opposing team’s best wide receiver and is not afraid to tackle against the run. He’s an excellent corner that can be a difference-maker. “
Smith has been mocked to the Vikings this offseason because he brings with him a unique skill set of physicality and speed. With the Vikings hiring Brian Flores as their defensive coordinator on Monday, the connection between Smith and the Vikings will only grow.
Smith has all the tools to be successful in Flores’ scheme. He is a great tackler and would be a weapon for Flores when he wants to blitz. As we get closer to the draft, Smith will continue to be a name to watch.
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There could be a big need for another hit at the position.
There’s just one game left in the 2022 NFL season, as the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs gear up for a matchup in this year’s Super Bowl.
While they’re focused on that event, the other 30 teams and their fanbases turn their attention to the offseason, free agency and the NFL draft.
For the Miami Dolphins, their draft process will involve just five selections due to a number of trades and the loss of a draft pick due to tampering.
It seems like every day there’s an expert putting out new mock drafts that give fans some ideas for who their teams could select. Obviously, it’s not an exact science, but it’s more of an exercise in what teams could be thinking.
ESPN’s Matt Miller recently released his newest mock draft (subscription required) for the first and second rounds. He has the Dolphins using pick No. 51 on South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith.
Here’s what Miller wrote about the projected selection:
“The Dolphins’ first pick in this draft could focus on cornerback. The team’s best corner in 2022 was undrafted free agent Kader Kohou, so despite the presence of Xavien Howard and Byron Jones, it could use some support there. Smith is lean at 188 pounds on a 6-foot frame but has good instincts and quick feet. And he had six interceptions over the past three years at South Carolina.”
Nik Needham is set to hit free agency and is coming off of a torn Achilles, so it wouldn’t be the wisest decision to rely on him for the 2023 season. Jones, who Miller mentions, didn’t play a snap in 2022 and may be on the move to free up some cap space.
We saw what the Dolphins’ secondary looked like this past year relying on guys like Keion Crossen, Noah Igbinoghene and Justin Bethel to play meaningful snaps down the stretch. That’s not a recipe for success.
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Smith has been an extremely popular pick in mock drafts over the last two weeks
The Minnesota Vikings have a major need at cornerback. What will be fascinating is how they choose to approach the position. Brian Flores loves to utilize heavy pressure and prioritizes man coverage.
The scouting department from The 33rd Team agrees with that assessment as they sent the Vikings South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith in their latest mock draft.
“Minnesota gave up the second-most passing yards per game last season. The Vikings improve their secondary with this pick. Cam Smith (scouting report) is a confident player with outstanding quickness and has produced vs. top-level wide receivers.”
Smith is a very versatile cornerback that understands how to use his length and has the long speed and athleticism to keep up with the best wide receivers.
In fact, when the Gamecocks played against Tennessee which they won 63-38, Smith covered potential first-round pick Jalin Hyatt like a glove and limited his production. This was the same receiver who took Nick Saban to school for 210 yards and five touchdowns.
Smith would be a great addition to the Vikings cornerback room.
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