Help still wanted: Vikings' cornerback carousel may turn again with strong draft class

INDIANAPOLIS – Darrell Luter Jr. might become a great NFL player. But the South Alabama cornerback wasn't given podium status like 24 other cornerbacks in what's considered to be a draft class crowded with talent at the position. Luter sat at a side table, where he spoke like the top players commanding the cameras.

"I can't wait to go against the Ja'Marr Chases and Justin Jeffersons," Luter said.

The Vikings need a solid cornerback — or two — to help Jefferson win games. Sound familiar? After the Vikings ranked 31st in both passing yards and 20-plus yard completions allowed last season, General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could select the franchise's seventh first-round defensive back in the last 12 years with the 23rd overall pick.

The top-ranked cornerback prospects include Illinois' Devon Witherspoon, Penn St.'s Joey Porter Jr. and Oregon's Christian Gonzalez. Alabama's Brian Branch might bring the versatility sought by new Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Maryland's Deonte Banks is a popular mock draft choice to go to the Vikings by analysts, including NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Jeremiah said he graded 20 cornerbacks as worthy of selection in the first three rounds. Corners and safeties will try to outclass one another during Friday's on-field drills at Lucas Oil Stadium.

"Those guys are all starters," Jeremiah said. "Whether you want to say he is a No. 2 corner, whatever, he is out on the field when the starting lineup rolls out there. I think there are 20 of those guys."

The Vikings are in the market to build around a core group of young safeties in Camryn Bynum, Lewis Cine and Josh Metellus. Head coach Kevin O'Connell said he really liked what they showed last season behind Harrison Smith.

The secondary's main problem was the No. 2 cornerback spot opposite Patrick Peterson, a pending free agent who has expressed interest in returning. Duke Shelley, a midseason addition and another pending free agent, offered some stability to mend woes from Cameron Dantzler, Andrew Booth Jr. and Akayleb Evans, who were all sidelined by injuries for long stretches.

"We want to create a competitive environment in that room," O'Connell said, "and ultimately look to add pieces that fit with how we want to play."

Newcomers will have to fit Flores' vision for a Vikings defense that could look a little stickier in coverage. From the Bill Belichick-Patriots coaching tree, Flores often ran man-to-man and blitz-heavy game plans as Dolphins head coach from 2019-2021. The shift from Ed Donatell's read-and-react, shell coverage schemes may be stark.

"You need people in their purest form playing corner," O'Connell said. "Just like Bill Belichick said with a receiver, 'You've got two jobs: get open and catch the ball.' Playing corner, you've got two jobs: cover and tackle."

Players declared their abilities to do it all during Thursday's interviews. Branch, the Alabama slot cornerback, could help the Vikings cover shifty interior receivers. Last year's slot cornerback, Chandon Sullivan, struggled and is a pending free agent. Branch is an "immediate starter," Jeremiah said, even if it's only as a nickel corner.

During his introductory news conference last month, Flores said, "I'm big on versatility."

Branch said Thursday, "I can play anywhere, and able to do it at a high level."

Banks, the 6-foot-2-inch Maryland cornerback, smiled throughout his combine media session while talking about jamming receivers for the Terrapins.

"I physically impose my will on people all game," he said. "I press all day and I'm real physical. I feel like that's what separates me."

Banks has size and boasted his speed, with which he intends to surprise people in Friday's drills.

"Y'all going to see me," Banks said.

Porter Jr., the son of former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, is another possible Vikings fit as a 6-foot-2 physical press outside cornerback. He called out a possible future teammate when asked about his favorite players other than his father.

"Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson," Porter Jr. said. "Those two guys was really the main two OGs that I really looked up to. But Jalen Ramsey was another big part of why I really changed to corner."