The Minnesota Vikings addressed their need at cornerback earlier this offseason by signing free-agent cornerback Byron Murphy. While the signing helps out the team, there is still a need at the cornerback position heading into the NFL Draft.
Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire helped the Vikings address those needs in his latest mock draft by selecting South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith.
The first thing you need to know about Minnesota’s defense in 2023 is that Brian Flores is a massive upgrade over Ed Donatell as the team’s defensive coordinator. The second thing you need to know is that Flores has always preferred to run aggressive defenses with blitzes and man coverage. The third thing you need to know is that after signing former Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy and losing Patrick Peterson in free agency, the Vikings are probably the NFL’s most cornerback-light team. If the Vikings were to select Smith here, he’d be a perfect fit in that he’s a big (6-foot-1, 180), consistent, aggressive defender who can lock receivers down in both press and off coverage. Last season, when in man coverage, Smith allowed just seven catches on 23 targets for 53 yards and four pass breakups. You can imagine Flores grinning as he watches Smith’s tape.
Smith would be a great fit for Flores defense and also provide the Vikings with insane depth. All of whom are young players. Should the Vikings go this route, they would have a promising future at the cornerback position for years to come.
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