5 safeties the Vikings could select in the 2019 NFL draft
By Nik Edlund
Juan Thornhill (Virginia)
Measurements:
Height: 6-feet | Weight: 205 pounds
2018 Stats:
- 98 total tackles (4.5 for a loss)
- 7 pass breakups, 6 interceptions
Thornhill is long, lanky safety who should catch the eye of Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. He is a former corner who excels in pass coverage and he has a very high football IQ.
Thornhill was a three-year starter at safety for Virginia and he racked up 208 total tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and 13 interceptions during his college career. So this dude is definitely a ball-hawk who can make the big plays on defense that can end up deciding the outcome of games.
Thornhill has great overall speed, as he clocked in at 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the this year’s combine. He uses that speed to close in on ball carriers in a hurry.
He is a great blitzer who gets in the backfield in a hurry, often making the tackle before the ball carrier even knows what hit him. He isn’t a big hitter, but he wraps up well and rarely misses a tackle.
Thornhill’s history at cornerback and solid coverage skills have a lot of scouts believing he could end up playing some corner in the NFL. That versatility will only make him more attractive to teams around the league. Especially to a guy like Zimmer who loves collecting cornerbacks, but is also someone who is creative enough to get the maximum potential out of a guy like Thornhill.