The Minnesota Vikings are far from done reshaping their roster this offseason and mock drafts are continuing to send them cornerbacks. The latest from Christian D’Andrea of For The Win has the Vikings going in a unique direction with Northwestern DE Adetomiwa Adebawore.
OK, the Vikings’ trade back backfired and some of the cornerback prospects who would have been extremely helpful are now off the board. Nevertheless!
Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter were a fearsome pass rushing combination in 2022, but both are aging veterans and Hunter (along with DJ Wonnum) will be a free agent next spring. Adebawore would infuse the Vikings’ edge rush with young blood as a 282-pound powerhouse capable of running a sub-4.5 second 40.
That’s a big deal for a prospect who, on paper, looked too small to play on the line and too slow to handle linebacker duties. The Vikings would be taking a risk here, but they’d pick up a player whose profile suggests positional versatility — someone who could add bulk and fill in up front while Smith and Hunter thrive or man the edge in a rotational role before taking over in 2024. With a new era seemingly on the horizon in Minnesota — this is Kirk Cousins’ final year under contract — there’s some logic to taking an uber-athletic defender and giving him time to figure things out.
Adebawore had an incredible combine with a 4.49-second 40-yard dash and tested out of his mind at 282 lbs. It might be a little rich and a surprising selection for a Vikings team that is desperate at cornerback and wide receiver, but Adebawore is a damn good player.
