Contrary to the expectation many had of taking an offensive lineman, the Minnesota Vikings selected a defensive player, cornerback Mike Hughes from Central Florida, in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Offensive linemen Connor Williams, Will Hernandez and James Daniels were still on the board.
From Zone Coverage’s player profile on the new acquisition:
Hughes will be a high-risk, high-reward pickup for somebody at the back end of the first round. The corner was forced to leave North Carolina after one season thanks to an off-field incident, played one year at Garden City Community College, then relocated to Central Florida for his junior campaign, where he made four interceptions and 49 tackles before declaring for the draft.
At just 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, his size alone isn’t enough to woo pro teams, so they’ll have to rely on his limited tape and weigh his checkered past to make a judgment.
The off-field incident was a misdemeanor after a physical altercation, but there was also a sexual assault allegation when Hughes was at UNC that recently came to light. No criminal charges were filed, and Hughes has reportedly appeased teams’ anxieties with his version of the events.
Hughes, 21, was also a kick and punt returner at Central Florida and could be in the running to contribute on special teams in Minnesota.
He was ranked 33rd on Arif Hasan’s consensus board.
Stay tuned for more analysis of the Vikings’ first-round pick.