NFL Draft 2013: Minnesota Vikings Select Xavier Rhodes No. 25 Overall
By Josh Hill
The Vikings were rumored to be interested in Manti Te’o, but that interest never developed into a draft pick. With Te’o on the board as they made their second selection of the first round, the Vikings opted for another guy that took a slide in the draft, cornerback Xavier Rhodes from Florida State.
One of the areas the Vikings needed to upgrade was in their secondary, and by grabbing Rhodes they grab one of the best cornerbacks in the draft. Minnesota lost Antoine Winfield in the offseason and have no cornerback relief after that. Rhodes was a guy who was originally projected to go in the top 15 of the draft but much like the selection of Floyd, Rhodes tumbled thanks to a flurry of activity in the top half of the draft.
Rhodes is a guy the Vikings used as a model when looking at cornerbacks in the draft, and now they get the very man they were seeking. The Vikings were expected to take a wide receiver with one of their picks but they opted to shore up some major holes on defense and they’re going to be better off for it. By doubling up on defense the Vikings are showing a commitment to the aging veterans keeping the unit afloat.
The NFL Draft is just getting started, so be sure to stay tuned to FanSided all weekend long to get the most up to date info on everything that happens at Radio City Music Hall.