The Vikings Appear to Have a Clear Draft Frontrunner

The Super Bowl is just three days away, and after either the Seattle Seahawks or New England Patriots prevail, the NFL will jump with both feet into the pre-draft process. The Minnesota Vikings will pick 18th on Draft Night Number One, and according to budding consensus, the frontrunner to land in the Twin Cities is Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell.

Terrell’s name keeps surfacing for Minnesota mock drafts, and the fit makes sense given Brian Flores’ appetite for physical corners who can survive on an island.

Minnesota is due — massively overdue — to hit on a rookie cornerback. Perhaps that man will be Terrell.

Vikings Mock Drafts Keep Pointing to Terrell

Get your mock draft machines warmed up.

Terrell a February Mock Draft Frontrunner for Vikings

Fox Sports‘ Bucky Brooks published a mock draft this week, and lo and behold, Terrell got another mention for Minnesota.

Brooks wrote, “Brian Flores needs a collection of high-IQ cover corners to make his scheme work. Terrell’s experience and ball skills would make him a nice fit as a CB2 opposite Byron Murphy.”

A day prior, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein went the same route for the Vikings, noting on Terrell: “Terrell is a sticky, man-cover cornerback with the ability to irritate at the catchpoint and play inside or outside.”

Terrell has also been mock-drafted to Minnesota by about six other writers in the last week. You can see those publications here.

Brian Flores Calling the Shots?

Last week, the Vikings severed ties with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, a few days removed from former Vikings passer Sam Darnold reaching the Super Bowl. Adofo-Mensah’s draft record was apparently too poor for a fifth offseason, and although it was late by offseason standards to make the decision, the ownership group pulled the trigger on Adofo-Mensah’s termination.

Nobody is too sure who will make the personnel calls on draft night, but with Brian Flores back in the saddle as defensive coordinator, equipped with a contract worth $6 million per year, the defensive mastermind might call the shots in Round 1.

If so, Flores’s defense could reach new heights with Terrell or his draft mate, Mansoor Delane of LSU, who is expected to be the first cornerback off the board in April.

With Flores empowered to make roster decisions, as the working theory suggests, Minnesota’s defense could bend defensively in the first couple of rounds.

Terrell’s Scouting Report

Terrell checks several boxes that keep him firmly in 1st-Round conversations. He’s just 21 years old, giving him youth that many prospects don’t have. At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, the frame works, too. The skill set follows — physical coverage, ball tracking, and a knack for finishing plays. The collegiate traits translate cleanly to the NFL level.

Bleacher Report‘s Daniel Harms on the Clemson corner: “Terrell gets proper depth in zone coverage and uses exceptional eyes to break on route concepts and throws. He has a great competitive nature across the board and won’t back down to anyone. He’s improved strength and leverage understanding to deliver hits and get off blocks.”

“Smooth backpedal and hip-flip to match to maintain connectivity in man coverage and zone match principles. Breaks on the football quickly and regularly attacks the catch point with his hands and ball tracking skills.”

And NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein: “Avieon shares the same bloodlines and coverage temperament as his brother, A.J., a first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. Avieon Terrell is an athletic, fluid mover with clean transitions and enough speed to stay in phase on most vertical routes. He’s most effective in press-man coverage, where he mirrors releases with timing and discipline, staying crowded to the route.”

“He concedes 50/50s to bigger targets at times, but is a constant catch irritant with good technique on all three levels. He can play wide or inside and is willing in run support, but he lacks ideal size. Terrell projects as an early starter thanks to his polish, ball skills and coverage versatility.”

The New-Look CB Room if So

If the mock-draft powers that be have this Terrell pick right, Minnesota’s 2026 cornerback room will look something like this before free agency:

• Byron Murphy Jr.
• Isaiah Rodgers
• Avieon Terrell
• Dwight McGlothern
• Zemaiah Vaughn

While Minnesota doesn’t have much cap space as of early February, interim boss Rob Brzezinski could add a corner or two from the open market in March.

The Vikings are egregiously overdue to hit on a cornerback; they haven’t successfully drafted one with long-term staying power since Trae Waynes and Mackenise Alexander a decade ago.

The NFL Draft is 11 weeks away.