Report: Vikings Hosted Standout Alabama CB on Pre-Draft Visit

The Vikings were one of numerous teams to host Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold on an official pre-draft visit, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Arnold is a first-round lock who might be the favorite to be the first corner off the board in next week's draft. He isn't the biggest player and he doesn't quite have 4.4 speed, but he has basically everything else going for him as a prospect. Arnold is young (21 years old), he's athletic (9.14 RAS) and he has outstanding tape and production. Last season, as a redshirt sophomore, he earned first team All-American honors by recording five interceptions, 17 total passes defended, and 6.5 tackles for loss.

There are slightly bigger and faster cornerback prospects in this draft, but Arnold's all-around skill set might still make him CB1 in this class over the likes of Quinyon Mitchell and Nate Wiggins. He can play on the boundary, he can play in the slot, and he has outstanding ball skills. Arnold doesn't have elite recovery speed if he gets beaten, but that doesn't happen often. He's also experienced in press coverage and a willing tackler in run support, which are important traits for a corner who is just shy of 6 feet and 190 pounds.

Here's the scouting summary from The Athletic's Dane Brugler:

"Arnold is fluid when he opens up with speed, gear-down skills and body control to stay in phase with basic or sophisticated routes. With average recovery skills, he needs to continue developing his discipline versus both pass and the run, but his awareness for the football is outstanding, and he plays with urgency in run support. Overall, Arnold offers an ideal blend of cover athleticism and competitive makeup, with the ball skills to make plays at every level of the field. He is scheme- versatile and has the talent to work inside or outside. He can be an NFL team’s No. 1 cornerback, offering a skill set similar to that of the Chicago Bears’ Jaylon Johnson."

It's easy to see how Arnold would be an appealing fit for the Vikings, in the event that they don't package their two first-round picks to move up for a quarterback. He could be a foundational piece in the secondary for coordinator Brian Flores, who wants to play more man coverage this year than he did last year. If the Vikings are comfortable waiting for Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. at 23, taking Arnold at 11 makes a lot of sense.

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