Preseason Profile: Mike Hughes

Coming into the 2018 season, the Vikings were one of the most loaded teams in the NFL, but one hole they had to fill before the season was cornerback depth. They did so by drafting UCF corner Mike Hughes in the first round with the 30th pick of the NFL Draft.

Hughes played in the first half of the first preseason game at Denver, and made a few plays that stand out. With that in mind, let’s take a look.

Mike Hughes tackle

This was a really nice tackle made from Hughes. Notice the hesitation as his teammate misses the tackle first, putting him in perfect position to wrap up the receiver himself.

Mike Hughes speed

Head coach Mike Zimmer is known for his creative use of blitzes, most famously the double A-gap blitz. This isn’t it, but it shows that Zimmer isn’t afraid to let his rookie corner join in on the fun.

As you may guess, Hughes’ speed clearly stands out; He’s like a cannonball being shot out of a cannon, and the wheels are on full display. Also noteworthy is his ability to read the play; Once he sees the quarterback handing the ball off, Hughes turns on the jets and makes an incredible tackle.

Mike Hughes misjudges ball

If there’s one area I’d like to see Hughes improve on Saturday against the Jaguars, it’s definitely locating the ball in man coverage. His coverage on this play is great, but he plays the end of the route too outside (as he was expecting) instead of inside. Fortunately for him, the pass from Paxton Lynch was inaccurate by a smidge, so Hughes was able to get away with a mistake.

Still, Mike Hughes was making some plays for what it’s worth. As a tackler he has great speed and concentration, and was really good outside in man. He’s an exciting player to watch, and if he refines his game, he could be a key contributor (to an extent) for the Vikings in his rookie season.

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