2026 NFL Draft: Talented sleeper cornerback would be perfect fit for Minnesota Vikings and Brian Flores can maximize his ability

After being a big fan of Quincy Riley Justin Walley last NFL Draft cycle, the next big sleeper is Georgia Tech’s Ahmari Harvey.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Sep 27, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons wide receiver Micah Mays Jr. (7) takes a hit from Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Ahmari Harvey (3) during the third quarter at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.
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One of the positions that you should draft every year is cornerback. For the Minnesota Vikings and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, it’s been a brutal position. They have selected four cornerbacks in Adofo-Mensah’s first four NFL Drafts, and none of them are still with the team.

It’s been a tough position for the Vikings to acquire talent in the NFL Draft, with their last success stories being Xavier Rhodes (2013) and Trae Waynes (2015). Due to defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ scheme, the position is hidden somewhat, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to acquire talent.

The Vikings will be projected to take multiple different cornerbacks in the first round of the NFL Draft, but day three is where you can find some gems. The next steal at cornerback resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ahmari Harvey is the next cornerback sleeper in the NFL Draft

After declaring that Quincy Riley and Justin Walley were big sleepers in the 2025 NFL Draft, the next player to join them is Georgia Tech’s Ahmari Harvey. A fourth-year junior. Harvey will be participating in the Shrine Bowl, and there is a lot to like about his game.

When you first turn on the tape, his aggressiveness immediately stands out. Harvey triggers downhill quickly with controlled aggression. He’s got a mean streak when he attacks the ball carrier.

Through his career, Harvey has a slightly elevated missed tackle rate of 14.3 percent, but he displays plus form when attacking the ball carrier. He lays the lumber with his shoulder, and wraps up consistently. Harvey displays his high football IQ in these situations, identifying where the ball is going quickly and using his plus click-and-close ability to take them out. What’s really impressive is how well he attacks from depth with a quick trigger to take out the ball carrier.

It isn’t just diagnosing plays in the run game; he attacks the ball in the air just the same. When he sees the route developing in front of him, he doesn’t hesitate and eats up space quickly. In his career, Harvey has solid ball production, with four interceptions and 11 passes defended on 870 career coverage reps.

His physical nature continues to show up in more ways than one. Harvey has the right amount of dog in him to play cornerback. He isn’t afraid of anyone coming at him, and won’t hesitate to take them for a ride if he needs to. Plays where Harvey takes down or throws the opponent are all over his film.

While there is a lot of positive with Harvey, who I gave a third round grade, he’s not a perfect player. Harvey is a little stiff in his lower half. He is segmented with his movements when transitioning, and it impacts both his recovery speed and ability to stay with receivers in man coverage. He’s more than comfortable playing on the boundary, but he can get taken advantage of my manipulating his movements.

I have a mid third-round grade on Harvey, which is more than deserved. He plays the position like it should be played: with controlled aggression. How big of a sleeper is a player who got a third-round grade from me? To put it in perspective, he’s not in Pro Football Focus’ NFL Draft simulator yet.

He is also the perfect fit for what the Vikings like to do in Minnesota. His aggressiveness and tackling acumen are excellent for what Flores asks of his cornerbacks.

You may not have heard of Harvey yet, but you soon will.

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