Vikings predicted to land lock-down cornerback via trade on Day 1 of NFL Draft

Ryan OLeary

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Vikings predicted to land lock-down cornerback via trade on Day 1 of NFL Draft image

It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings could be looking to trade pick No. 24 overall during Day 1 of the upcoming NFL Draft (April 24-26).

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been no stranger to making trades during his tenure as Vikings GM, swinging 11 deals during draft weekend alone over the past three years. Short on capital for 2025 — Minnesota currently holds a league-low four selections for next week’s draft — a best-case scenario for the Vikings would be to trade back, acquire more picks, and still land an impact talent on defense, which is where their top remaining needs lie.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes the Vikings will do just that, trading out of Day 1 completely while still landing a lock-down boundary cornerback for Brian Flores’ defense. Davenport predicts the Vikings will draft Florida State’s Azareye'h Thomas as a potential steal early on Day 2.

“A potential starter opposite Byron Murphy,” he wrote, “and more picks for a team that badly needs them. What's not to like?”

Thomas would check a lot of boxes for Flores and the Vikings. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, he’s got the size and length that Flores covets for his secondary, and Thomas' production for FSU in 2024 was elite. He allowed just a 50.2 passer rating when targeted and no touchdowns, adding five pass breakups and one interception.

Murphy is being paid like Minnesota’s No. 1 corner, but he’s more of a chess piece who spent about 30% of his snaps in the slot in 2024. There’s a ton of buzz surrounding the Vikings and the cornerback prospects in this year’s draft, and Thomas will be a name to watch if Minnesota chooses to trade back in the first round.

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Ryan OLeary

Ryan O'Leary has spent his entire professional career in sports multimedia, working as journalist, editor, podcaster, and in live events as a content manager and show emcee. His career highlights include working as a podcast host and audio editor for USA TODAY Sports Media Group, where he led a series of NFL podcasts for the company’s top-performing NFL sites. A born and raised New Englander, Ryan’s career kicked-off in newspapers after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in journalism. He developed an affinity for small-town youth, high school and college sports, while also realizing his childhood dream of covering the Patriots in multiple AFC Championship Games. Ryan enjoys kicking it with family and friends, beating his dad and brother in chess, and arguing with anyone crazy enough to insist that Tom Brady isn’t the GOAT.