Vikings Called Fit for Intriguing Defensive Back Prospect
Minnesota’s secondary looked like a mess for a while, with the top four cornerbacks and the two starting safeties set to become unrestricted free agents following the 2024 season. A few weeks later, the Vikings have built a respectable defensive back group.
Vikings Called Fit for Intriguing Defensive Back Prospect
That includes Byron Murphy Jr., who earned a big salary bump after his Pro Bowl year, and the additions of Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah.
At safety, the Vikings got Harrison Smith back for another season, and Theo Jackson also returned. However, their running mate Cam Bynum signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
Because of his departure and Smith’s uncertainty beyond the 2025 season, acquiring a safety in the draft makes sense. Frequent mock draft targets are Malaki Starks (Georgia) and Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina).
ESPN’s Matt Bowen called the Vikings a fit for the latter.
Bowen wrote, “Emmanwori has great size, 4.38 speed and rare physical tools, so he’d be able to play a disruptive role in Brian Flores’ defense, which is built on creating chaos. Emmanwori has the split-field range to play top-down in Cover 2, plus he can spin down to play an enforcer role in the underneath zones. And with the ability to match tight ends in coverage or create pressure out of Flores’ multiple blitz packages, Emmanwori would be in a position to make splash plays as a rookie. He had four picks last season, and he returned two for TDs.”
Emmanwori’s performance at the annual Draft Combine turned some heads when he dominated the 40-yard dash and confirmed that explosiveness with his jump numbers. His relative athletic score is flawless, although it should be noted that he didn’t take part in the agility testing.
In three seasons at South Carolina, Emmanwori played in 37 games and produced 244 tackles, four TFLs, and six interceptions. Four of those came last season, and he scored twice on returns.
The Vikings drafted a safety in the first round of the draft twice in recent memory. Smith was Rick Spielman’s pick in 2012, and that was a wonderful decision. He is a sure-fire future Ring of Honor inductee and a potential Hall of Famer.
The other pick was spent to acquire Lewis Cine in 2022, which didn’t work out. A devastating injury, the change of the defensive coordinator, and excellent competition surely hurt his odds of living up to his draft status.
Still, it is fair to wonder whether GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is ready to run it back and pick a safety in the first round three years later.
Regardless, Emmanwori’s athletic profile is intriguing, and so is his production. He could quickly compete for a role behind Joshua Metellus and Smith. His main competitor for snaps would be Theo Jackson.
Next year, Smith’s spot will likely open up, and the expected first-rounder could take over after learning from the veteran for a year. That’s the theory.
But there are some concerns. PFF noted about the defender: “Emmanwori is a tricky prospect who will require a leap of faith, considering where he’s likely to be drafted. His elite athleticism and playmaking ability suggest his ceiling could be on par with a player like Kerby Joseph, but his underwhelming box play and questionable technique and instincts are more reminiscent of Isaiah Simmons, who was drafted in the first round in 2020 but has struggled to find a natural NFL position.”
The first round of the draft will take place on April 24th. Emmanwori to the Vikings is an option.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt