Vikings Draft Grades for every 2023 draft pick: Jordan Addison a seamless fit, nail late value

Vikings Draft Grades for Mekhi Blackmon: D+

We’re adding a plus almost as a courtesy here because, frankly, the Vikings needed cornerback help and it was positive to see them use the last pick of the third round and Day 2 to try and address that need. The player, however, was simply the wrong choice.

Mekhi Blackmon played decently at USC but the film just doesn’t look like that of a Day 2 cornerback. At 178 pounds at 5-foot-11, his slight frame makes him a mismatch in the wrong way against physical pass-catchers and he’s also not a great or fluid athlete in coverage well, noticeably showing stiffness in his hips. On top of that, he’ll be 24 years old when the season starts.

With players like Darius Rush, Cameron Mitchell and several other cornerbacks who are simply better players than Blackmon, this was a clear miss by the Vikings.

Vikings Draft Grades for Jay Ward: A+

Even after drafting Blackmon and signing Byron Murphy Jr. this offseason, the fact of the matter is that the Minnesota secondary has needed restructuring and an influx of talent for some time. They started that earlier in the offseason with the players they let go or let walk and then added, but Jay Ward might be my favorite addition to that group yet.

Ward played all over the field for the Tigers, lining up at the nickel, as a deep safety, and even playing some cornerback. I imagine that, given the state of the Vikings roster on defense and in the secondary, he’ll likely see his versatility used at the NFL level. But the best part is that the fluid defensive back with great length at 6-foot-1 will be a plus asset on this roster wherever he takes the field.