Of course, expectations are highest for the first-round pick, Caleb Banks. However, the Minnesota Vikings might have grabbed a steal later in April’s draft, in Round 5 to be exact. Cornerback Charles Demmings got a draft steal shout-out from SI.com.
Analyst Justin Melo tabbed one steal at each position and the defensive back got the nod.
Melo wrote about the 163rd pick: “Charles Demmings became the first Stephen F. Austin player in Senior Bowl history. He was outstanding in Mobile, proving he could compete with wide receivers from bigger programs. He’s 6-foot-1 with terrific length (32-inch arms) and a competitive streak with incredible toughness and desire. Demmings wants to play press-man coverage and possesses the feet and mirroring skills necessary to thrive in man-to-man looks.”
At 6’1″ and 193 lbs, he ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine and demonstrated his explosiveness with a 42-inch vertical jump. He also attended the Senior Bowl, where he proved he could compete with strong prospects.
That was enough for the Vikings to pull the trigger for the Stephen F. Austin product.
After the draft, Demmings noted, “Going to the combine … the higher-end guys, SEC guys, Power 4 guys, they were definitely surprised. The first day of the combine, Keionte Scott came up to me and was like, ‘Man, I heard you’re going to break the vertical record.’ It was a funny thing to me because I had never talked to Keionte before that.”
He ultimately couldn’t break the record, but it’s worth noting that he wasn’t at 100% due to a minor injury. Yet, he still dominated.
Adding some youth to the cornerback room is much appreciated. The Vikings still feature last year’s starter Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy, who are both 28 years old. James Pierre, who was added in free agency, will turn 30 in a couple of months. Meanwhile, the Vikings didn’t have any promising developmental corners on the squad, as neither Dwight McGlothern nor Zemaiah Vaughn could clinch a role last season.
Demmings should be considered 4th in the rotation at this point. Fifth-rounders aren’t guaranteed a roster spot, but given the lack of competition, he’s certainly a good bet to be part of the 53-man squad in his rookie campaign.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote in his pre-draft analysis, “Demmings has some learning-on-the-job lessons waiting for him in the NFL, but he has the cover athleticism and mental toughness to weather that storm and be better for it. He can offer immediate depth on defense and special teams.”
The athleticism is undeniable, but Demmings also offers the versatility to step into various roles under Brian Flores.
He said in his post-draft introduction, “Throughout my [college] career I went through a couple different schemes, but it gave me a lot of tools in my toolbox. And one thing I love, I love press man [coverage]. For most of my time at SFA, I was a boundary corner. They believed I was the best press man corner we had, so if I had to follow a guy everywhere on the field, that was my role for the game. If I had to just be boundary corner, that was my role. If I had to be a run support, that was my role. Whatever the game plan called for … we just adjusted. And I pride myself in being very adaptable week-in and week-out, not just being the same player giving the same look.”
Demmings could surprise folks this summer and in the subsequent rookie season.
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