Minnesota Vikings full 2020 NFL mock draft

2nd round

Winfield put himself on the NFL radar last year with 83 total tackles, seven interceptions and three sacks. At 5-foot-9 with elite football instincts, he draws easy comparisons to his father, Antoine Winfield, who himself was an undersized corner and played 14 NFL seasons.

Depending on what they do with Anthony Harris, the Vikings may not have an immediate opportunity at safety. But Winfield could play slot corner, and as Matthew Coller of SKOR North cited, Pro Football Focus data shows he played all over the field for the Gophers last season (399 plays as a deep safety, in the box for 284 plays and 85 plays as a slot corner).

As of this writing, ESPN’s Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. have both tabbed Winfield Jr. as a first-round pick in their most recent mocks.

Simply put, the Vikings need to add pieces to their secondary. Winfield’s versatility is surely enticing to head coach Mike Zimmer, in the mold of Tyrann Mathieu as a blitzer, cover man and a sure tackler in space.

If the Vikings don’t take Winfield with one of their two first-round picks, which there’s a case for them to do if things go a certain way, they’ll happily take him if he falls to them here.