NFL Media recently published an article that predicted the Minnesota Vikings’ cornerback to earn a slot on the NFL’s All-Pro Team for his performance during the upcoming season.
It has been a pretty good offseason for Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes, to say the least.
Following the Vikings final game of the 2016 regular season, Rhodes was invited to his first career Pro Bowl and a few weeks ago he signed a big money contract extension with Minnesota. If it was not before, the spotlight is officially shining on the cornerback now as he prepares for the 2017 season.
Will his success from 2016 be able to continue out on the field this year? At least one person believes so.
NFL Media’s Elliot Harrison recently predicted the roster for the 2017 NFL All-Pro Team and a certain cornerback who dons the purple and gold was one of his selections. Harrison made sure to explain why he thinks Rhodes can continue his evolution as one of the league’s top corners this season.
"“Opposing quarterbacks completed far below 50 percent of their passes against Xavier Rhodes last season, helping to further establish the Vikings’ top corner as one of the premier players at the position. While Rhodes still occasionally gives up the big play, the continued emergence of Danielle Hunter should bolster the secondary by reducing the amount of time the unit must do its job.”"
Harrison’s explanation seems a bit backhanded with the mention of Danielle Hunter. But he does still credit Rhodes as one of today’s top NFL cornerbacks, so one should just take the good with the bad apparently.
In his fifth season with the Vikings, the young cornerback most certainly has the potential to be a part of the All-Pro Team when the year comes to a close. It just depends on Rhodes being able to stay healthy and also continuing to come up with big-time plays when opposing quarterbacks actually try and throw in his direction.
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If, in 2017, he has another season similar to what he did last year, a spot on the NFL’s All-Pro Team could very well be in the near future for the young corner.