NFL Combine Winners: Safeties Who Could Interest Vikings
Last week was a huge week in the draft process for the Vikings, as they flocked to Indianapolis to interview and observe many of the prospects on their big board during the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.
A prospect's game tape from college is the most important thing in their evaluation. But their interviews, measurements, medical reviews, athletic testing, and drill performances at the combine go a long way, too. With that in mind, let's go over some of the biggest winners from this year's combine at positions of need for the Vikings.
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We continue looking at the secondary by analyzing a few safeties who could be targets for the Vikings. Given Mike Zimmer's quote last week that suggested the Vikings may not be able to re-sign Anthony Harris, plus the fact that Andrew Sendejo and Jayron Kearse are also free agents, safety has become a definite need for the Vikings this offseason. Rick Spielman and company may seriously consider taking one in the first two rounds.
Here are a few players who could interest the Vikings after strong weeks in Indy.
Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota
Winfield going to the Vikings would obviously be a cool story, with his dad having played nine seasons in Minnesota as a fan favorite and a highly productive corner. But it would be a lot more than just a cool story; Winfield is carving out a name for himself with his play in college and now a strong performance at the combine. His seven interceptions and three sacks last year put him on the map during Minnesota's first 11-win season in over a century. But heading into the combine, there were concerns about whether or not he had the speed and athleticism to justify an early pick in April. He answered those questions emphatically with an outstanding 4.45-second 40-yard dash (tied for third-best among safeties) and a very solid 36-inch vertical jump.
Winfield also had questions about his medical history after missing two seasons to season-ending injuries, but he apparently didn't give teams cause for concern when examined. He's undersized at 5-foot-9, but then again, so was his father. Winfield's elite anticipation and ball skills – plus his competitive toughness – give him a chance to be one of the first few safeties off the board. He's presumably behind a pair of projected first-rounders in Alabama's Xavier McKinney and LSU's Grant Delpit, but is right there with Cal's Ashtyn Davis and a handful of other players in the second tier. Will he last until the Vikings' second-round pick (No. 58 overall)?
Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
If you've never heard of Kyle Dugger or Lenoir-Rhyne before, you're not alone. The latter is a small Division II school in Hickory, North Carolina. The former is a safety who is rocketing up draft boards this offseason. Dugger began getting attention in late January by standing out with an awesome week at the Senior Bowl, and he continued rising with an incredible combine performance. Dugger has Harrison Smith-like size at 6-foot-1, 217 pounds, and put up off-the-charts numbers in all of the athletic tests. His 42-inch vertical jump led all defensive backs, and his 11'2" broad jump was second. He also ran an impressive 4.49 40, considering his size. Dugger's athleticism makes him an exciting prospect, and he could be of interest to the Vikings on Day 2.
Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois
Dugger isn't the only small-school safety who is on the rise. Chinn was the one player to best Dugger in the broad jump, with a freaky 11'6" mark that was tied for second among all players at the combine. Chinn's 41-inch vertical jump, 4.45 40, and 20 bench press reps were also top-five marks among safeties. Chinn, unsurprisingly, dominated at the FCS level, but his combine performance is what will have teams really taking him seriously. At 6-foot-3, 221 pounds, he might be more linebacker than safety, though. Could he transition into Eric Wilson's role with the Vikings?
K'Von Wallace, Clemson
Wallace is someone who may have worked his way into the middle rounds with his performance in Indy. His senior stats at Clemson – 72 tackles, two sacks, two picks, ten passes defended – were impressive, but like Winfield, Wallace needed to answer questions about his athleticism. He did just that by testing well across the board, including a very eye-catching 6.76-second three-cone drill. He also ran and jumped well at 5-foot-11, 206 pounds. Wallace has some limitations that will likely make him a Day 3 pick, but there's definitely upside there. Arif Hasan of The Athletic mentioned Wallace as someone who could fit the Vikings' defensive scheme effectively.
Should the Vikings move on from Harris in free agency, they could target a safety that fits the Vikings’ emphasis on Cover-4 concepts, like K’Von Wallace from Clemson, who has the intelligence to read routes as they develop and strength to win at the line of scrimmage.
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