5 players the Vikings could’ve drafted instead of Jeff Gladney

Cameron Dantzler – CB

The Vikings landed Cam Dantzler in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but they would’ve been better off just taking him at pick No. 31. Dantzler proved to be a better player than Jeff Gladney and he was the star of Minnesota’s training camp last year.

He earned a starting spot last season, and while he had some growing pains, he finished the 2020 campaign on a high note, and he was one of the better corners in the NFL for a three-game stretch late in the season.

Dantzler wasn’t able to stay healthy the way Gladney did, but he still finished the season with 46 tackles, four pass breakups, and two interceptions. The guy just understands the position and he gets his big lanky frame where it needs to be to get in the way of the receiver.

By taking Dantzler in the first round instead of Gladney, the Vikings would’ve been able to go a different direction with their third-round pick. They could’ve looked to bolster their offensive line again with a guard like John Simpson or Solomon Kindley or grabbed a safety like K’Von Wallace.

While Gladney ended up playing more as a rookie and posting better overall numbers, it was clear Dantzler was the better player when they were on the field together.