2023 Vikings Mock Draft: What Minnesota needs 4 games into the 2022 season
By Luke Parrish
First-Round Pick
Joey Porter Jr. – CB (Penn State)
If there is any area of the roster that needs significant help, it continues to be the secondary. Minnesota drafted two players to help the back end of the defense with their first two picks in 2022, but injuries have limited their impact thus far.
Patrick Peterson has been solid with the Vikings and serves as a strong mentor for young cornerbacks but his time as a top-flight defender is hitting its end. Joey Porter Jr. would be a massive upgrade on the perimeter for the future while giving Cameron Dantzler a bit of a reality shock.
Porter, listed at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds, is arguably the most dominant defensive back in college football this season. Through five weeks, Porter has been targeted 22 times and has allowed just nine catches for 89 yards. He has also recorded eight pass breakups in those five games.
His length on the perimeter is a massive plus, especially when he gets physical and attacks the ball in the air. Receivers are often uncomfortable when lining up across from Porter which is exactly what you want from a shutdown cornerback.
If he continues to rise, Porter will probably be out of Minnesota’s range in 2023. He is one of the top defensive backs in the 2023 class and should be the type of player the Vikings are searching for. A secondary with Porter, Dantzler, Booth, Cine, and Harrison Smith would provide a ton of length and playmaking.