5 breakout stars to watch for the Minnesota Vikings in 2021
CB. Vikings. 60. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 4.. player. Jeff Gladney
The second of the Vikings’ two first-round picks in 2020, Gladney obviously didn’t get nearly as many headlines as Justin Jefferson. He played all 16 games as rookie (15 starts) though, while playing 958 defensive naps (89 percent snap share, according to Pro Football Reference, along with 99 special teams snaps). According to Pro Football Focus, that defensive snap volume was the highest among rookie corners last year. With that context, it’s not surprising Gladney was target a lot and allowed a lot of yardage.
Gladney played 529 snaps in the slot vs 313 outside.
— PFF MIN Vikings (@PFF_Vikings) March 23, 2021
In the slot:
- 62.7 grade, ranked 26th
Outside:
- 40.7 grade, ranked 81st
Overall:
- 5.5 snaps per target was the 20th highest target rate among CBs
- 876 yards allowed, 3rd most in the NFL
- 464 yards allowed in the slot pic.twitter.com/fddDwiG5lL
As shown above, Gladney was much better playing in the slot last year from a PFF grade standpoint. That seems to fit well with the addition of Patrick Peterson in free agency, as the former Pro Bowler is far better playing on the outside than in the slot.
With Peterson signed and Mackensie Alexander brought back after a one-year hiatus in Cincinnati, Gladney probably won’t have to play nearly 90 percent of the defensive snaps for the Vikings this year. But he should still play a lot, with a more ideal offseason and preseason going into his second season to foster some marked improvement.