Mike Carter USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Vikings made substantial strides defensively in 2014 under first-year head coach Mike Zimmer, but they still have some clear needs on that side of the ball entering this year’s draft. Xavier Rhodes developed into one of the top young cornerbacks in the league over the course of last year, but free agent acquisition Captain Munnerlyn was inconsistent and Josh Robinson continued to show that a prominent role might be too much for him.
Much like the selection of linebacker Anthony Barr ninth overall in 2014, Zimmer’s fingerprints are all over the Vikings’ first draft pick again this year with the selection of cornerback Trae Waynes at No. 11 overall. Waynes was widely regarded as the best corner in this year’s class, with notable experience and effectiveness in man coverage, so Zimmer and his defensive staff are surely looking forward to working with him.
The abundance of talent at wide receiver in the NFC North makes having multiple capable corners a necessity, and the Vikings now have another capable option. I saw similarities to Seattle Seahawks’ cornerback Richard Sherman when scouting Waynes pre-draft, and while that is obviously a lofty statement I see comparable traits overall and thus significant upside for the Michigan State product.
The Vikings were a top-10 defense against the pass in 2014, in terms of yardage, allowing just over 223 yards per game through the air (seventh in the league). But they intercepted just 13 passes (tied for 18th in the league) and they were middle of the pack in touchdown passes allowed with 26. Adding Waynes should help in both of the latter categories, and it’s easy to see he and Rhodes becoming one of the top cornerback duos in the league fairly quickly.
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter.
