The Minnesota Vikings selected the Central Florida cornerback Mike Hughes with the 30th pick during the first round on Thursday night. This was the resisting temptation to pass the premium position while counting on depth in the pool of offensive lineman which will help them in the draft.
Hughes played one season for UCF, and it helps the Knights finish undefeated in the year 2017 with four interceptions, 11 pass breakups, and four touchdown returns. He has scored twice in the game during the kickoff returns and once off an interception and once on a punt return.
Hughes said, “I knew they were pretty excited about me. So once they got the chance to grab me, I’m not surprised, I’m blessed to be in this position.” He becomes the third cornerback who was drafted in the first round by the Vikings in the last six years that he spent with current starters Xavier Rhodes in the year 2013 and Trae Waynes in the year 2015. Terence Newman has become the free agent and has not yet re-signed. Mackenzie Alexander was a second-round pick in the year 2016 and yet to hold of the nickel role.
According to Zimmer, “We didn’t do it to push Mackensie. We’re just trying to get good football players in here and shake it out, and whoever ends up playing plays, I’m not married to anybody, so we go out and try to get the best players in the field. Quite honestly, in today’s NFL with as much throwing as is going on, I could see four corners in a game at one time.”
He added by saying, “This kid will help us in all phases of special teams, and then we’re going to mature him into being a full-time player, I don’t know how soon that will be, but he’s got the traits that we’re looking for.”
