5 breakout stars to watch for Minnesota Vikings in 2020

3. CB Mike Hughes

The Vikings used a first-round pick on Hughes in 2018 (30th overall), and his first two NFL seasons have been shortened by injury. It was a torn ACL as a rookie that cost him 10 games, then a neck injury late last year sidelined him for the playoffs.

Hughes played 14 games and 46 percent of the Vikings’ defensive snaps last year. Pro Football Focus graded him 80th out of 128 qualified corners, but being further removed from that torn ACL can only help going forward. He did have some solid surface numbers (39 solo tackles, nine pass breakups and two forced fumbles) last year.

The Vikings are without their top-three cornerbacks from last year, as they cut Xavier Rhodes and lost Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander in free agency. That makes using one of the two first-round picks (No.22 and No. 25) on a corner a virtual certainty. Even so, Hughes will now be a starter.

The next test for head coach Mike Zimmer’s acumen in developing cornerbacks is Hughes. Better health is a prerequisite to any breakthrough this year, but Hughes has to take a step forward