Grading all 6 of the Vikings picks from the 2023 NFL Draft after year 1

Third-Round Pick (102nd Overall)

Mekhi Blackmon - CB (USC)

2023 Stats:

- 41 tackles (three for a loss)
- 1 forced fumble
- 1 interception

The Vikings grabbed a cornerback with their third-round pick after trading down a couple of times, and it looks like they found a dandy.

Mekhi Blackmon was seen as a bit of a risky choice as he was pretty grabby during his days at USC. That turned out to be a non-issue, and he quietly put together a very solid rookie season.

He didn't have a ton of game-changing plays, but he was very good in coverage and was more than a willing tackler.

The game rarely looked too big for him, and he never seemed intimidated by the man lining up across from him, no matter their size or level of stardom in the NFL.

Blackmon played in 15 games and started three of those. He had an impressive 41 tackles, and he was even able to intercept a pass.

He consistently graded out very high by PFF, and he even ended up on their All-Rookie Team.

The Vikings secondary struggled late in the season but Blackmon was one of the few bright spots.

He looks like a piece that the team can build around moving forward, and that is huge for a third-round pick and a huge win for Minnesota general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as well.

Production Grade: B+
Potential Grade: A