Minnesota Vikings second-year cornerback Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL on the first day of Training Camp, ending his sophomore season before it began. Blackmon sustained a season-ending injury just weeks after rookie fourth-round pick Khyree Jackson tragically passed in a car accident.
At a recent press conference, Kevin O’Connell said Jackson performed well at rookie minicamp and could have factored in their plans at the position this year. Depth at the position has been spread thin, and veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin sustaining an injury after intercepting presumed starting quarterback Sam Darnold at Thursday’s practice makes matters even worse.
Despite missing Friday’s practice, Griffin appears to be okay. However, his injury scare has further highlighted how thin the team is at the position. After the two veteran starters, the team’s primary backups are Andrew Booth Jr., Akayleb Evans, Jaylin Williams, and the recently acquired Duke Shelley and Cobi Francis. None of these options are particularly inspiring, and each player was firmly on the roster bubble before the wave of unforeseen and unfortunate events struck the team’s cornerback room. Booth Jr. and Evans appear like locks to make the club’s initial 53-man roster.
Although Kwesi Odofo-Mensah would be wise to sign a veteran corner like Stephon Gilmore or trade for the seemingly available Marshon Lattimore, he could stand pat and ride with what he presently has at hand. However, another yet-to-be-named corner has adequate man-coverage skills and could split time with Booth and Evans to soften the blow of losing Blackmon. That player is Dwight McGlothern, an undrafted free agent from the University of Arkansas.
McGlothern, 22, spent his first two seasons at LSU before transferring to Arkansas for his junior season. While at Arkansas, McGlothern graded out as PFF’s highest-rated coverage cornerback during his senior season, which bodes well for his ability to develop into an NFL-caliber player at the position. At 6’2″, McGlothern has used his height and plus-ball skills to wreak havoc on some of the best offenses in college football last season.
He was among the best-tackling corners in college, and Flores prioritizes players who can bring opponents to the ground. Blackmon was a great open-field tackler, a skill that likely played a significant role in becoming a starting corner during his rookie season. Possessing a strikingly similar skillset to Blackmon will likely increase McGlothern’s chances of making the team’s initial 53-man roster.
McGlothern probably went undrafted because he sustained multiple injuries (concussion and turf toe) that held him out for a significant portion of last while playing for one of the worst secondaries in the SEC. Blackmon was overlooked for many of the same reasons. He battled injuries while playing for an underperforming SC defense that allowed the 26th-most total yards per game in the FBS during his redshirt senior season in 2022.
Blackmon’s season-ending injury is particularly disheartening because he had positioned himself as one of the team’s primary man coverage corners. It was a point of emphasis that Flores was seemingly aiming to implement in his second year with the organization. The 2023 third-round pick taking on this role would have theoretically allowed veteran starter Byron Murphy Jr. to kick inside and be the primary slot cornerback (a role he is better suited to), with Griffin patrolling the other side of the field.
However, losing Blackmon dampens those plans, likely forcing Murphy Jr. to play outside as the Vikings can’t trust Booth Jr. or Evans to take on a significant outside role. If McGlothern can improve his man coverage skills while continuing to refine his ability to track the ball and tackle well, he could earn a spot on the 53-man roster and take on Blackmon’s role later in the season.
