Minnesota Vikings: Which young defender will be the next star?
By Dan Zinski
2. Trae Waynes
Why are so many Viking fans already writing off Trae Waynes? Because Waynes didn’t start as a rookie, many fans apparently believe he is already a bust. Yes Waynes was drafted 11th overall but you have to look past that fact. Waynes may have been taken relatively high, but the understanding all along was that he would need time to develop. Mike Zimmer didn’t take Waynes with the idea that he could drop him right into the lineup. Why do you think the Vikings signed Terence Newman last year?
Clearly, Waynes has traits coveted by Mike Zimmer or he would not have given Rick Spielman the go-ahead to draft him. Is it possible Zimmer made a mistake? Of course it is. But doesn’t Zimmer deserve a little benefit of the doubt? Shouldn’t we put a little more faith in Zimmer when it comes to identifying and developing talent? Do we really trust Zim or do we just like repeating the hashtag?
So what if Waynes did nothing in year one. The fact remains that Waynes has the perfect build for a corner, can run like the wind and showed plenty of man-coverage ability in college. The skill-set that made Waynes attractive in the first round didn’t just evaporate because he had to basically sit out a season. This guy has more than enough talent to become a star cornerback in the league. Give him a minute before you write him off.