Minnesota Vikings: Would Marcus Peters Be Worth the Risk?

Second chances could be what many players need to get things going again. While many players are given them, others have to earn them. Time and time again you see athletes make childish decisions that lead to rough consequences. To make a huge comeback and prove your worth would be one of the most rewarding things ever, and learning from your mistakes will help make it all happen.

Sep 27, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Marcus Peters (21) intercepts the ball intended for Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Ty Montgomery (7) during the second half at Husky Stadium. Stanford defeated Washington 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Marcus Peters, the former University of Washington cornerback, was highly projected to be a first-round draft pick and that dream is certainly still alive. However, after being dismissed from Washington due to several arguments with the coaching staff, his draft stock was questionable because of the off the field issues.

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Many would place Peters over Michigan State’s cornerback Trae Waynes, but some have their doubts on Peters. What not many see, is the work that Peters is putting in to become better than he ever used to be, on the field and off the field. After apologizing to head coach Chris Peterson, it lead to a very surprising invitation to the Huskies pro day.

The kid has talent, theres no question about that; but is he worth taking at No. 11 for the Minnesota Vikings? It’s definitely something to think about.

At the combine, Peters ran a 4.53 40-yard dash time, which wasn’t even the top 15 for his position. While Waynes lead all corners with a 4.31, Peters shines in other areas rather than just speed. In the 60 yard shuttle, he posted an 11.26, fifth out of all cornerbacks. It’s been said Peters runs backwards as well as others run forwards.

Peters is 6’0″ and 197 pounds, typical and solid size for a cornerback in every situation. He’s very smooth with his hips, and covers his opponents very well. He presses hard at the line quite often and is successful with doing so.

Hip flexion could very well be Peters’ best feature. Many defenders can be beat and lose ground on certain routes from poor hip movement. Peters on the other hand, hardly loses ground. He’s very smooth and fluid with cutting different directions and he proved his flexibilty every game he played.

Something that helps Peters’ game is his arm length which measures at 31 1/2 inches. Arm length is very helpful to defenders because if their arms are long enough, they can press them at line and also be effective at batting a ball down that’s in the air; potentially leading to an interception. His arm length also allows him to keep his defenders on the sidelines, his strength is used well in these situations as well.

Peters doesn’t have to have a top notch speed to show his athleticism, he shows it in other drills and on the field. Peters has bunny hops, with a 37.5 inch vertical it adds on to his great coverage skills. With a vertical leap this high at his height, he can perfectly time jump balls.

As a three year starter, Peters had a total of 95 solo tackles, and 129 total tackles. He also added 11 interceptions in those three years. Granted the stats would have been different he didn’t get dismissed, but with a solid two and half years of tape and film, it’s easy to see that Peters is a great overall player.

For Peters weaknesses, he actually doesn’t have that many. Mainly his personality issues, which can go many ways. He’s enthusiastic and his very passionate about the game of football, he just lets his off the field issues get in the way. For the most part, his character could be an overall great thing for whatever team he lands on. He can bring a real cocky attitude to the team, as long as he can control it he shouldn’t have too many problems.

Besides Peters’ attitude issues, theres a few problems that you can really tell from tapes. One being that he gets called for pass interference sometimes. As he plays very physical, it’s bound to happen eventually. If he ends up in purple and gold, the Vikings will figure out ways to get him to continue to play physical without getting flags.

Also, he will definitely be working on his technique with his footwork in the NFL. Coverage-wise, Peters is great, but his footwork and press technique, as well as his tackling, could use some work. In his game against Hawaii in 2013, he had some very poor tackle attempts. All of this, though, can be fixed with good coaching..that is, if he’s willing to listen.

Overall, if the Vikings want to go out on a limb, Peters would be the way to go. If he’s better than Waynes, that’s something we’ll have to find out when the season starts, but the potential of Waynes is through the roof. Peters would be a great addition to the team, considering that the Vikings could use another cornerback opposite of Xavier Rhodes.

With Peters on the squad, he’s more than likely an immediate starter. A tough physical cornerback like him could be what the Vikings need to shut down opposing wide receivers. His attitude will bring a spark to the whole team and compliment the rest of the secondary. If Peters can get his off the field issues straightened out, he could be a threat in the eyes of almost any wide receiver in the league.

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