Minnesota Vikings draft: Five potential safety targets

The Minnesota Vikings may choose to address their safety need by targeting one of these five intriguing players in the draft.

With Andrew Sendejo and Robert Blanton both hitting free agency and the Vikings seeming to lack a definite in-house option to line up opposite Harrison Smith, speculation is swirling that Minnesota will add a starting safety either via free agency or the draft.

Recently we took a look at some players who might be targeted by the Vikings if they choose to go the free agent route, and now we will turn our attention to the draft.

The talent pool at safety this year is fairly deep, with lots of players receiving first- and second-round grades from scouts. Highly-regarded Florida State prospect Jalen Ramsey is generally regarded as the #1 safety available, but beyond that things are fairly wide open.

The only thing we can say with any certainty is that Ramsey won’t be available when the Vikings pick #23 overall. But these five men all should be available, giving the Vikings plenty of options to choose from if indeed they wish to select a safety.

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1. Jeremy Cash, 6-1 212, Duke

Cash started his college career at Ohio State then transferred to Duke, becoming a stat-monster in three years with the Blue Devils. Cash capped his Duke career in 2015 by winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year and being named All-America. An injured wrist forced him to miss the team’s bowl game and that wrist remains a concern.

Scouts love Cash’s skills as an in-the-box safety but are concerned that he will struggle in deep coverage at the next level. He is viewed as a strong, aggressive tackler with great instincts but scouts believe his lack of athletic ability will limit him.

Because he is limited athletically, I don’t see Cash as a target for the Vikings in the first. Since Mike Zimmer’s arrival the Vikes have tended to covet defensive players with outstanding tools who can be molded to fit Zimmer’s scheme. If Cash lasts until the middle rounds, perhaps the Vikings would take a look.

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2. Jayron Kearse, 6-5 220, Clemson

The nephew of Jevon Kearse and cousin of Phillip Buchanon, Jayron was a stand-out defensive player for national championship runner-up Clemson. After the title game the junior declared for the NFL draft.

Kearse is gigantic for a safety at 6-5, 220 and scouts say they don’t believe he is finished filling out. Experts love Kearse’s range and athleticism and see him as a potentially great centerfielder in the NFL. Some scouts compare him to current Bengals safety George Iloka, a man Mike Zimmer is obviously very familiar with.

If you’re looking for raw physical tools as a defensive player, Kearse would seem to have everything you could want. He’s big and fast, ranges from sideline to sideline and has great ball skills. There are however some questions about Kearse’s willingness/ability to tackle. It was only one game, but a lot of people thought Kearse folded the tent against Alabama in the championship game. If you’re going to play safety for Mike Zimmer you must be able to come down and play run support and folding the tent is not an option.

3. Vonn Bell, 5-11 205, Ohio State

Bell helped lead the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2014. The junior was named second-team All Big Ten in 2015.

Experts like Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com point to Bell’s skill in man coverage as a major attribute. However, there are concerns about Bell’s tackling ability. From Brugler:

"Inconsistent breaking down in space with a bad habit of waiting on the ballcarrier and playing on his heels, causing him to be run over at the contact point."

Robert Blanton much?

Perhaps the comparison to Roadkill Robert is a bit harsh, but nevertheless many scouts have concerns about Bell’s tackling. His coverage ability is what makes him intriguing. Would Zimmer take him on and try to fix his problems as a tackler?

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4. Darian Thompson, 6-2 215, Boise State

Thompson was selected first-team All-Mountain West two years running and was a Jim Thorpe award semifinalist in 2015. Last year he broke Eric Weddle’s conference record for most career interceptions.

Thompson may be the most well-rounded of all the safety prospects who figure to be available to the Vikings at #23. His athleticism is not elite, but it is good (we’ll see how he performs at the combine). Scouts give him high marks for his range and physicality, but downgrade him somewhat for occasional lack of discipline leading to missed tackles. He has also been applauded for his football intelligence and leadership.

If there’s one potential first-round safety in this draft who screams “Zimmer guy,” it’s Thompson. He is reputed to be smart, he seemingly possesses enough athleticism to fit into any scheme and by all accounts he has the work ethic to improve in the areas where he still struggles.

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5. Keanu Neal, 6-1 216, Florida

In two years with Florida, Neal developed a reputation as a hard-hitting safety. He left school after his junior season.

Scouts single out Neal for his tremendous physicality and aggressive nature, but point out his lack of discipline and average athletic ability.

Neal is something of a dark horse, having garnered much less buzz thus far than players like Jayron Kearse and Vonn Bell. However, Neal is now becoming a talked-about name in scouting circles according to Tony Pauline: (via philadelphiaeagles.com)

"Several teams believe Neal is the “best-looking safety in the draft” and love his explosive play. Neal struggled with a leg injury early last season and was a bit slow on his return. Several scouts mentioned the 2014 film is more indicative of his true next-level potential when Neal presented himself as a complete player at the position, deftly stopping the run and covering the pass."

Neal seems like a well-rounded though athletically unimpressive player who could be a target for the Vikings if he lasts beyond the first couple rounds.