7 cornerbacks the Vikings could select in the 2022 NFL Draft
By Luke Parrish
Trent McDuffie (Washington)
Measurements:
- Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 193 pounds
2021 Stats:
- 35 tackles
- 6 passes defended
- 16 catches and zero touchdowns allowed
Trent McDuffie is tough to pinpoint in mock drafts due to his size profile which can be overblown at the next level. For the Vikings, McDuffie would be a plug-and-play slot corner who can still line up on the outside if needed.
My only hesitation with McDuffie does not necessarily come from him but more from the Vikings front office. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah does come from more of an analytic background, and although he has plenty of pure football experience, that background does make me question how he will value certain prospects in the draft.
McDuffie is a tad shorter than the ideal NFL cornerback, but he is still tall enough to hang around, especially if his work comes out of the slot. However, his arms are significantly shorter than the typical NFL corner, and that should be noted.
At 29.75 inches, McDuffie’s arm length ranks in just the fifth percentile of NFL cornerbacks. With short arms and small hands, McDuffie projects to have some issues at the catch point when he arrives in the NFL.
The Vikings should probably look at a more projectable player than McDuffie, but his film is very promising over his three seasons at Washington. He can be a starter in the NFL so long as he is not put in positions that require him to match up with bigger wide receivers.
If the Vikings are going to take a cornerback in the first round, they would ideally want to get a player that does not come with those limitations, but he is certainly on the table. Kwesi will teach fans a lot about his evaluation process if McDuffie is the best cornerback on the board for the Vikings to take.
Looking at McDuffie’s measurables spider chart, there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical. His draft landing spot is very intriguing as things start to heat up.