5 prospects no longer on the Vikings radar in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft
By Nik Edlund
Devon Witherspoon – CB (Illinois)
The 2023 NFL Draft is loaded with quality cornerbacks. It’s heavy at the top, and also deep with value well into the third day. The order of how those corners will come off the board has varied quite a bit since January.
Back then, it was common to see Cam Smith be in the first round, with Christian Gonzales and Joey Porter Jr., being the first couple taken. Devon Witherspoon was also usually in the top 15, but it wasn’t uncommon to see him fall to 23 and the Vikings from time to time.
That isn’t happening anymore. Witherspoon is now the favorite to be the first cornerback off the board. He’s got it all. He’s physical, with good size, and excellent ball skills. He’s also got great speed and had a completion percentage against him of just 34.9 percent last season.
With the Detroit Lions shipping Jeff Okudah to Atlanta, it is assumed that Witherspoon could come off the board with the sixth overall pick. There’s not a chance he slides to Minnesota and his ascent should force the Vikings to look at some other, more realistic options.