5 cornerbacks the Vikings should keep tabs on in the 2023 NFL Draft
By Luke Parrish
Cam Smith (South Carolina)
The Vikings need more freaks on the defense. Cam Smith is one of the fiercest competitors you will find in college football and he has the ball skills to be an incredible cornerback at the next level.
He is sticky in man coverage but has shown the ability to be reliable in zone alignments as well. His best trait, in my opinion, is his competitiveness regardless of what is in front of him. Smith is an aggressive tackler near the line of scrimmage that can sniff out screens and runs to his side of the field. He also jumps routes well enough while having the speed to make up for mishaps.
The main concern with Smith early on will be penalties, which are part of his nature. He can be overly aggressive but that can be coached out of a player with the proper pieces in place. In terms of first-round cornerbacks go, I think Smith is the most realistic option for the Vikings given his value and fit.
Cam Smith has been a draft crush of mine since the season began back in September and I think his style would fit nicely with Booth and Lewis Cine. The trio of young defensive backs would bring a new identity to the defense, a unit that desperately needs a change.