5. Mackensie Alexander, CB
Entering his second season in Minnesota, Alexander has a big opportunity in 2017 to fill the void left by Captain Munnerlyn (now with the Carolina Panthers). Munnerlyn had been the Vikings primary slot corner for the past three years and now Minnesota needs to find a player to take his place.
When Alexander was drafted in the second round last year, many assumed he was going to eventually be Munnerlyn’s replacement. But the young corner struggled a bit during his limited snaps on defense in 2016 and now some are questioning if he is actually ready for an increased role this season.
Luckily for Alexander, he has a head coach in Mike Zimmer who has become known for his skills in getting the most out of his team’s defensive backs. Will Alexander be able to use Zimmer’s guidance and take a step in the right direction in 2017?