WR Justin Jefferson, CB Jeff Gladney Look Like Early Draft Wins For Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings addressed their two biggest needs on the first night of the draft as they selected LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson with the No. 22 pick in the first round, and they added TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney with the 31^st pick overall.

The Vikings started the night with the 22^nd and 25^th pick, but they traded their second pick in the first round to the San Francisco 49ers, and they received the 31^st pick, 117^th pick, and the 176^th pick in exchange.

It was clear that the Vikings had huge needs at the wide receiver and cornerback slot going into the draft and they addressed both of those with their first-night selections.

Jefferson was one of six wide receivers selected in the first round, and many thought that the LSU star would have been selected before the Vikings had their turn at the virtual podium. However, when general manager Rick Spielman saw that Jefferson was still available, he did not hesitate to take the 6-3, 192-pound go-to receiver for the national champions.

Jefferson caught 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, and he did most of his work from the slot for the Bayou Bengals. That’s an interesting factor, considering that the Vikings No. 1 receiver is Adam Thielen, who also regularly occupies a role as the slot receiver.

After trading speedster Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills, it seemed that an outside receiver would have been a better fit, but there are no complaints from the Vikings coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak loves Jefferson’s skill set, and there’s every reason to think that Jefferson will play a prominent role as a rookie, and possibly serve as a starter.

If Gladney does not start at cornerback when the season gets underway, that will be a big problem. The Vikings had major problems with their pass coverage last season, and they need a cornerback who is loaded with confidence and can play with consistency.

That’s a lot to ask of the 5-11, 190-pound cover man. Gladney is not a finished product at this point in his development because he is not always consistent in his coverage. However, he runs a 4.35 40 and he can also go up and high-point the ball.

Gladney’s lack of size and strength could be an issue as the NFL’s long season progresses. There may be a point where he starts to wear down, and that will give opponents a possible target in the season’s closing weeks.

However, Gladney comes to the NFL as a four-year starter with the Horned Frogs, and he is a vocal corner who was able to shout out coverages to his teammates and help them get in the right position. There is every reason to believe that he will learn the Vikings’ defensive system quickly and upgrade what was a very leaky secondary in 2019.

While those first two selections look like they could help the team quite a bit in 2020, Spielman has quite a bit of draft capital at his disposal to improve the Vikings over the next two days of the draft. Barring any additional trades, Spielman has 12 more selections.

That includes one second-round pick, two in the third round, two in the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds, and three in the seventh rounds.

Look for the Vikings to add a pass rusher with either their second- or third-round selections, and they will likely address the offensive line, the secondary and possibly one more wide receiver.

Spielman may be in a position to trade for recalcitrant Washington offensive tackle Trent Williams, who sat out the 2019 season.

The slew of middle-round picks could entice the Redskins to send Williams to the Vikings. If Spielman can make such a deal, the addition of Williams would be a major upgrade for the offense.

The Vikings lost ground during free agency, but they can make up for it with a strong showing in the draft. So far, so good after the draft’s first night.