3 Cornerbacks Vikings Need to Target in 2022 NFL Draft

After Stephon Gilmore signed with the Indianapolis Colts on Friday, the Minnesota Vikings are forced to turn back to the drawing board to find cornerback help. The good news is that the 2022 NFL Draft is right around the corner, providing the organization with several solutions to their issue.

Unless something changes, the Vikings are set to enter the NFL Draft with a total of eight selections — including the 12th overall pick in the first round. Needless to say, they'll have enough opportunities to add some much-needed CB depth.

Here's a look at three cornerbacks that the Vikings need to target in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Minnesota Vikings NFL Draft

1. Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati

The Cincinnati Bearcats had one of the best defenses in college football last season and some of that success was thanks to Ahmad Gardner. After recording 40 total tackles, four defended passes, 3.0 sacks and a trio of interceptions last Fall, Gardner was named first-team All-AAC for the third straight year and was also named the conferences Defensive Player of the Year. On top of that, he allowed only 131 receiving yards when targeted in 14 games last season and didn't allow a single touchdown pass throughout his collegiate career. In other words, Gardner has the makings to be an elite NFL CB for years to come. The biggest drawback here is that Gardner is likely to be off the board before No. 12, but crazier things have happened.

2. Trent McDuffie, Washington

There's a decent chance that Gardner will be off the board by the time it's the Vikings' pick, which is why Washington's Trent McDuffie is worth targeting. The 21-year-old CB was terrific last season, allowing only 16 completions (with six passes defended) on 36 targets for 111 yards without a TD. He's also great in man coverage, allowing only two deep receptions during his time with the Huskies, according to ProFootballFocus. Scouts seem to think that McDuffie has all of the tools to be a starting cornerback sooner than later. If Gardner is off the board by the time pick No. 12 rolls around, Vikings fans won't complain if McDuffie is their "consolation prize." Alternatively, LSU's Derrick Stingley could be another excellent option if he's available at 12.

3. Roger McCreary, Auburn

There's a chance that the Vikings may use their first-round pick elsewhere and opt to draft a cornerback later on. If that's the case, Auburn's Roger McCreary would be a solid option at No. 46. He's been the definition of reliable over his last three seasons as a Tiger, racking up 130 tackles, six interceptions and a forced fumble in 35 games. Additionally, he tallied 29 broken-up passes since 2019 — 14 of which occurred in 2021. McCreary may not be dominant from Day 1 in the NFL, but he has the tools to be a mainstay on Minnesota's defense for years to come.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.