In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Vikings took cornerback Mike Hughes with the 30th overall pick.
While Hughes has been solid when he’s been on the field, he’s never really seemed to get into a groove with the Vikings.
In 2020, he’ll have no choice. Without Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes, Hughes is the favorite to be the top cornerback on the depth chart.
If the Vikings could do it again, would they still draft Hughes?
Zone Coverage’s Luke Inman says no.
Inman has the Vikings drafting cornerback Donte Jackson who was originally drafted 55th overall by the Carolina Panthers.
Here’s what Inman wrote about the pick and comparing Hughes to Jackson:
Put me in the minority if you’d like, but Hughes’ best football is still ahead of him. When healthy he has gotten better and better under Mike Zimmer’s tutelage. However, when compared side by side, Jackson has been the better playmaker with freaky speed and a knack for the big play after leading all second-year players with seven interceptions. While I fully expect Hughes to be Zimmer’s No. 1 corner in 2020, in a redo scenario Jackson’s ability to lock up offenses’ best wideouts is too good to pass up now that you know what you’re getting.
In 2019, Hughes finished with a Pro Football Focus grade of 58.7, a mark that ranked 78th among corners in the NFL. Jackson ranked 89th with a grade of 55.6.
You can check out Inman’s full redraft here.