The Minnesota Vikings have been looking to get younger in the secondary with safety Harrison Smith pretty much at the end of his career, but also improve at their cornerback position.
Last season, the Vikings got some pretty good play from Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy Jr., but more can be done for the future. CBS Sports writer Mike Renner shared his new 2027 mock draft, where he has Minnesota at pick 13 in the first round and selecting Iowa cornerback Zach Lutmer.
"Zach Lutmer plays in the slot at Iowa -- where he secured three interceptions and six pass breakups last season -- but he's shown the all-around ability to translate to corner or safety in the NFL. His versatility would be a perfect fit in Brian Flores' defense."
The Minnesota Vikings could find their Cooper DeJean clone in the 2027 NFL Draft with Zach Lutmer
Last season with the Hawkeyes, Lutmer was named to the second team All-Big Ten after racking up 71 tackles, seven pass deflections, three interceptions, one sack, and one touchdown. He is seen as a hybrid nickel corner-safety in Iowa's defense.
That's exactly the kind of player the Vikings need in their secondary, as he could end up being the third safety who can play in the box. Many NFL teams are starting to adapt to that kind of defensive style, like the Baltimore Ravens with Kyle Hamilton.
There is a comparison for Lutmer to Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro cornerback Cooper DeJean, who also went to Iowa and is a nickel corner. Lutmer has the same kind of physical play with making tackles that DeJean has done over the last two years in the NFL.
Rodgers is in the final year of his contract, so it would be interesting to see if Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores would move Lutmer to the outside or keep him in the slot. The Vikings would probably be better off keeping him in that slot position so that he can drop back as a safety or stay in coverage at CB3.
The other question would be whether to move Lutmer to safety as well. That would make more sense, but Flores loves versatile defenders who can play multiple positions, so he would likely be moved all over the place like a chess piece.
While the Vikings' defense is one of the best in the NFL, there is a clear youth movement being built by Flores, and if they got a chance to get Lutmer in the 2027 draft, that would completely change everything for Minnesota.
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