Inside The Vikings

Notable Cornerback Results at the NFL Combine and What They Mean for the Vikings

Here's what we've learned from the CBs at the NFL combine on Friday.

Will Ragatz

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It's no secret that the Vikings are a strong candidate to take one of the top cornerbacks in this year's NFL draft. It's easily the leading position group projection for Minnesota in mock drafts, which is understandable. Not only do the Vikings desperately need corners, this is also a great class to take one early.

Defensive backs took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday to do their athletic tests and other drills at the NFL combine. Let's go over some numbers that stood out and what they might mean for the Vikings.

Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State: 166 pounds

Forbes is a great prospect because of his ball skills (14 INTs and a record 6 pick-sixes in three seasons) and physical style of play, but this is an alarming number. 166 pounds is extraordinarily thin for a cornerback. NFL corners are typically more like 190-200. Cameron Dantzler, another Mississippi State CB prospect who had questions about his weight, was 188 pounds at the 2020 combine after bulking up. Forbes is also an inch or two shorter than Dantzler. He is, however, much faster, running a 4.35 40 to Dantzler's 4.64.

Forbes said earlier this week he played at 173 and can get up to 180, so it's surprising to see him weigh in at just 166. That might give teams like the Vikings serious pause in the first round.

Joey Porter Jr., Penn State: 34-inch arms

Porter is up there with Oregon's Christian Gonzalez and Illinois' Devon Witherspoon in the top tier of cornerbacks in this class. He measured in at 6'2", 193 pounds with 34-inch arms and a wingspan of nearly 81 inches. Those are 99th percentile numbers. Porter also ran a 4.47. I'd be surprised if he makes it to the Vikings' pick at 23.

Kelee Ringo, Georgia: 4.36 40

Ringo is right in that second tier of corners with Forbes, Cam Smith, and Deonte Banks, all of whom could make a lot of sense for the Vikings late in the first round. Ringo, a former teammate of Lewis Cine, turned heads by running a 4.36 with a strong 1.53 ten-yard split. And for important context, he did that at 6'1", 207 pounds. That's 40 pounds more than Forbes with the same 40 time. Those numbers aren't everything, but they're a big part of the evaluation process.

Julius Brents, Kansas State: 11'6" broad jump

Brents put up some alien-like numbers on Friday. The projected Day 2 pick had a ridiculous 11'6" broad jump and a 41.5-inch vertical and, like Porter, measured in with 34-inch arms. Brents' 4.53 40 was just OK, but the length and explosiveness will catch teams' eyes. He could be an option for the Vikings if they trade back from 23.

D.J. Turner, Michigan: 4.26 40

4.26! That makes Turner the fastest player at the combine thus far and one of the fastest ever. Only three prospects have ever recorded a faster time: John Ross, Kalon Barnes, and Chris Johnson. That'll put the Michigan slot corner firmly in the Day 2 mix.

Deonte Banks, Maryland: 42" vertical

Banks might be my favorite fit for the Vikings at 23 right now. He's a Brian Flores corner through and through, using his physicality and quick-twitch athleticism to thrive in man coverage. On Friday, Banks posted a 42-inch vertical, an 11'4" broad jump, and a 4.36 40. That makes him the best overall athlete among the CBs. He's a first-rounder.

Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

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