Minnesota Vikings Unsung Heroes: Week 3 vs. the Tennessee Titans

Defensive Unsung Hero from Week 3:

Jeff Gladney – CB

Although we mentioned earlier that we should expect good things out of first-round picks, Jeff Gladney looked respectable on Sunday. With so many moving parts at cornerback thanks to a plethora of injuries, Gladney has stepped up as arguably the best cornerback on the roster through three games.

Holton Hill struggled mightily at times for Minnesota against the Titans and Gladney gave up a deep shot of his own, but the rookie has been very impressive at a difficult position. He and Kris Boyd have played better than many expected at this point in the season and Gladney is looking more and more like the first-round pick he was selected to be.

Until the secondary finds some stability, there will be concerns and question marks in the passing game. Now, this is not saying Gladney looks like a stud quite yet. He did give up a crucial late-game deep shot to Kalif Raymond after getting beat with a double move in space. However, he was not a starting cornerback when the season began. Now, he is the best option on the outside.

Gladney will continue to grow and learn the ropes of the NFL this season, which means struggles will continue. Still, Sunday was a positive sign for his progress and expectations as we move further into the season.