Minnesota Vikings 2020 NFL Draft Profile: Stanford Samuels III – CB
By Luke Parrish
Stanford Samuels III is another lanky cornerback who seems like a perfect fit for Mike Zimmer’s defense with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings are in danger of losing three starting cornerbacks this year due to cap casualties and free agency.
Regardless of who returns to the roster in 2020, it seems inevitable that the Vikings will add players to this position group in this year’s NFL Draft at some point or another. Stanford Samuels III may be an answer for Minnesota in the draft for the right price.
Samuels had a roller coaster of a college career at Florida State despite being a starter in all three of his years. He declared early for the NFL Draft after three seasons for the Seminoles and he has the traits to make a good defender in the league as his length and ball skills shine on tape.
After a poor performance at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, Samuels has a bit of a mountain to climb heading into the draft. He will be a polarizing prospect for teams around the league as some will love his size and others will worry about his speed and production. He finished his career at Florida State with eight interceptions and 16 pass breakups.
With less than two months before this year’s draft, Samuels needs to find a way to turn some heads. With his Pro Day still to come, he has a few opportunities left to improve his stock. The general feeling right now though is that nobody feels the same about Samuels heading into the draft.
Stanford Samuels III – CB (Florida State)
Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 187 pounds
Pros:
- Phenomenal ball skills
- A physical specimen at cornerback with 31 and 3/4-inch arms
- Excels at reading the QB and breaking to the ball
- Great pre-snap communication
- Flashes the ability to hit in the run game
- Shines in zone coverage and keeping everything underneath
Cons:
- Zone success was likely a result of protecting his lack of speed
- Missed a lot of tackles despite showing some success
- Needs to improve his punch in press coverage situations
- High hips and long strides cause him to lose to quick receivers underneath
Why he could fall:
Samuels has a ton of questions regarding his athletic talent at cornerback. Some teams might view him more as a safety or as a developmental player who is not ready for the NFL yet.
Why he could rise:
His physical build and tools are hard to ignore, especially when one factors in his ability to put them to good use. He plays the ball like a receiver and causes turnovers fairly regularly.
NFL Draft Projection:
I have seen Samuels selected anywhere from the second round to the fourth round in recent mock drafts. I am a bit higher on him than others but he should be selected in the 50 to 70th overall range.
Projection: Late-second round