3 reasons the Vikings must draft CB Sauce Gardner in 2022
By Dean Jones
The Minnesota Vikings must draft former Cincinnati cornerback Sauce Gardner if he is available during the 2022 NFL Draft.
Taking a cornerback in the first round has been an ongoing thing for the Minnesota Vikings in recent years. From Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, and Jeff Gladney, most have not lived up to their billing, and although the roster looks pretty strong across the board following some impressive moves under the new regime, this is one of the weaker positional groups from the outside looking in.
The Vikings did sign Chandon Sullivan this week, who should help in some capacity. Minnesota also has high hopes that Cameron Dantzler can remain on course after two highly encouraging seasons with the team so far.
However, there are some top corners coming out of the college ranks this year. So it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world to see the Vikings take advantage of this if the right player becomes available.
Perhaps the best of the bunch is Sauce Gardner, who played a leading role during the Cincinnati Bearcats’ memorable run to the college football playoffs in 2021. He has all the size, length, and athleticism to make a significant difference for the Vikings, but whether he’ll still be around at No. 12 overall is another matter entirely.
With this in mind, here are three reasons why the Vikings must draft Gardner if they get the chance.