2025 NFL Draft: Vikings have a massive need in the secondary and the NFL Combine has some great targets

The Minnesota Vikings are locked and loaded at the NFL Scouting Combine.  General manager Kwesi Adolfo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell both spoke at the combine on Tuesday and gave us some insight on what their process will be this offseason. Sam Darnold is still the talk of the town when it comes to free […]

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings are locked and loaded at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

General manager Kwesi Adolfo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell both spoke at the combine on Tuesday and gave us some insight on what their process will be this offseason.

Sam Darnold is still the talk of the town when it comes to free agency. The only thing truly made clear by O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah is that a decision hasn’t been made in totality. It’s a smart move as the needs for other teams could end up convincing them to execute a tag and trade.

Before we fully get immersed in free agency, the cornerbacks and safeties are set to be interviewed at the NFL Scouting Combine and there should be a ton of interest.

youtube placeholder image

Kansas CB Cobee Bryant

When you take a look at the Vikings cornerback position, they need a little bit of everything. Once you look at the guys that Adofo-Mensah has targeted in the NFL Draft, it’s all over the place. Big guys, small guys, heavy weight, and light weight. There isn’t a true prototype for the Vikings.

One type they have show the willingness to select is the lighter, feisty guys. Bryant profiles similarly to Mekhi Blackmon in size and play style. Even though he weighs 170 lbs, Bryant plays much bigger and continues to stay physical down the field. Pair that with plus ball skills and you have a very intriguing player that needs some good testing.

Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison

One of the things that will be tough to parse out for NFL teams will be the injury history. Morrison missed the second half of the season with a hip injury. What the injury is we don’t have full clarity on just yet

If he’s healthy, Morrison is a really good football player who can thrive in both man and zone coverage. He’s been a popular selection for the Vikings this year and, if healthy, would make a major impact.

South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori

The one player in the secondary who could completely change everything with a great combine performance is Emmanwori. At 6’-3, 225 lbs, he’s built like a linebacker with plus movement skills.

Emmanwori is likely to blow up the combine with elite jumps and 40-yard dash that will have many believing he can be an elite weapon at the next level in a modern day defense where versatility is needed. 

Louisville CB Quincy Riley

I will shout it from the rooftops for the next two months: Riley is a fringe first round guy. 

He hasn’t gotten a lot of love across the board but that should change after the combine. He’s looks like a player who will run in the 4.4s while also having good quickness and jumps. Pair that with excellent ball skills (13 interceptions and 34 pass breakups) and you have a guy who deserves more love.

Related Articles