Vikings 2022 Draft: Five-round best player available mock draft

Second Round (No. 46 overall)

Jalen Pitre – CB/S (Baylor)

This worked out well for the Vikings as they not only got the best player available in the second round, they also filled a need. The glaring hole at cornerback is a little better after the team re-signed Patrick Peterson, but they have to look towards the future.

Jalen Pitre is an extremely talented player who is a high-end athlete, and the only concern or question about him is where he will ultimately end up in the pros.

Pitre played all over the field for Baylor’s defense. He played safety, linebacker, and cornerback, often mixing them all up during games, keeping offenses on their toes. He is best playing up on the line of scrimmage with his ability to sneak by blockers on his way to blowing up the ball carrier.

Pitre plays with a ton of energy and fire. He’s also been extremely productive during his time with Baylor. Just a season ago, he had 75 total tackles and an eye-popping 18.5 tackles for a loss with three and a half sacks. There’s no doubt he’s a playmaker and one who could become the spark plug for Minnesota’s defense.

There are some injury concerns with Pitre, as he has a shoulder and an ACL injury in his past. If the medical checks out the Vikings would do well adding this guy at the top of the second round as a potential year one corner who could develop into Harrison’s Smith replacement at safety in year two.