Four 2020 NFL Draft sleepers for the Vikings to consider

Jeremy Chinn – S (Southern Illinois)

• Height: 6-foot-3
• Weight: 212 pounds

There is one more safety I want to draw your attention to and that is Jeremy Chinn, who is a standout player in the FCS. He has accepted an invitation to participate in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, recognizing him as one of the nation’s top seniors.

Chinn has been an integral part of the SIU defense for four seasons and he has done a little bit of everything over that time. His career comes to an end with 243 tackles, 13 interceptions, and six forced fumbles. He recorded at least three interceptions in every season with the Salukis and his size also allowed for 31 career pass breakups and a blocked field goal.

As one of the best small-school products in this class, Chinn has a chance to make some money at the Senior Bowl.

Strengths

Chinn is an enforcer on the back end of the defense, first and foremost. His large stature allows him to stop ball-carriers in their tracks and end the play. He charges up big hits with his elite closing speed and his willingness to take risks. He does a great job of diagnosing the play and beating the ball to the spot.

When you mix superior size and more-than-enough speed, Chinn becomes a dangerous weapon on the defense. Similar to Javon Hagan, Chinn is a versatile defensive back. He started multiple games at both safety and cornerback for the Salukis this season.

Despite being an excellent safety, I really enjoy watching Chinn on blitzes and coming down against the run. He is good at timing his blitzes and shooting gaps for a safety, especially one at the FCS level.

That closing speed comes in handy as he flies through the gaps and gets to the quarterback. When a 6-foot-3 safety is accelerating into the backfield, things get tough for the offense.

One thing to look for in any prospect is their leadership. Chinn consistently showed up on tape as the vocal leader of the Saluki defense. He was consistently the first to celebrate with his teammates after a big play.

It may be a small detail, but it is an indicator of the person beyond football. With age becoming a more pressing question on defense for the Vikings, maybe they could look find a future leader for their secondary.

Weaknesses

The easy question to ask is whether or not Chinn is a product of his competition. Playing in the FCS definitely limits the talent that he matched up against during his collegiate career.

While that should be accounted for, his traits speak for themselves. His pure athletic ability and understanding of the game are much more impressive than he will be given credit for.

I know I said Chinn has a good understanding of the game, but his instincts are not perfect. He tends to play a bit more conservative in the passing game than he does against the run. His interceptions may come at a high clip, but he could have afforded to take a few more risks in the passing game if he really wanted to.

It will be interesting to see how Chinn performs at the Senior Bowl and if he can prove himself. The next four months will be absolutely crucial to his draft stock.