Vikings Select Jeff Gladney with No. 31 pick in NFL Draft

Gladney plays with a more physical presence than his weight would suggest

Sports Illustrated | Apr 24, 2020

The Minnesota Vikings selected CB Jeff Gladney with the No. 31 pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Enrolling at TCU, Gladney stayed in the Lone Star State after honing his skills at New Boston High School in New Boston, Texas. After suffering an ACL injury during his senior season with the Lions, Gladney left high school as a three-star recruit. Widely recruited by smaller schools like North Texas, Northern Illinois, and Texas State, Gladney committed to TCU in 2014 and signed with the Horned Frogs in 2015.

Scouts and evaluators used adjectives like competitive, ball-hawk, aggressive, and versatile to describe Gladney leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft. He can hold his own in man and zone schemes, but the best fit for his skill set is attacking the ball in man coverage. A three-year starter over four seasons at TCU, Gladney has the potential to step in and play a significant role during his rookie season.

Gladney is slightly undersized at just 5-foot-10 and 191 pounds. That has caused some to question if he has the size to play outside against big-bodied NFL wide receivers. However, he makes up for any length limitations with his high football IQ and anticipation. Bodog posted his over/under draft position at 32.5 with OVER (-190) as the favorite and UNDER (+145) as the underdog.

Here’s why SI’s Kevin Hanson ranked Gladney as the No. 27 overall player on his big board:

Gladney plays with a more physical presence than his weight would suggest. Blending foot quickness, short-area agility, and a feisty competitive toughness, Gladney has a nose for the ball. That led to 26 passes defended since 2018 and five interceptions over the past three seasons.

2019 stats (Senior; TCU): 24 solo tackles, 31 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT (12 games)

2018 stats (Junior; TCU): 30 solo tackles, 41 total tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT (13 games)

2017 stats (Sophomore; TCU): 23 solo tackles, 28 total tackles, 2 INT (9 games)

2016 stats (Freshman; TCU): 30 solo tackles, 46 total tackles (10 games)

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Published Apr 24, 2020