Minnesota Vikings: Setting reasonable expectations for Mike Hughes
By Joe Kipp
Mike Hughes recently signed his rookie contract with the Minnesota Vikings. What are reasonable expectations for the first round selection?
Right in the nick of time, the Minnesota Vikings have signed their 2018 first-round pick, cornerback Mike Hughes, to a contract. The agreement ensures the Vikings’ rookie will be at the start of training camp next week on July 24.
Hughes figures to compete for time at the slot cornerback position. The outside corners will undoubtedly be locked down (pun intended) by Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes, while Mackensie Alexander was a rising star in the slot last season. Terence Newman played a significant role at age 39, as well.
Hughes is a smaller cornerback at 5-10, 190 pounds, with arms just short of 31 inches, an ideal frame for a slot corner. He posted decent numbers at the combine with a 4.53-second 40-yard dash, 20 bench press reps and a 6.7-second three-cone drill.
At Central Florida, Hughes was named a First-Team All American in 2017. He intercepted four passes, racked up 44 tackles and recorded 11 pass breakups. Hughes is also known for his returning ability, which is a role he could also play for the Vikings.
So what can fans expect out of the first year cornerback?
Although just a rookie, Hughes will have higher expectations than most due to being the 30th overall pick. The Vikings spent high draft capital on the former UCF star, with visions of possibly replacing Waynes after this season. But recent history has shown corners often struggle in their first, second and sometimes even third season. Waynes is a familiar name that comes to mind.
One of the hardest positions to play, cornerback isn’t a position we typically see rookies excel at. Despite the magnificent performances we saw from Marshon Lattimore and Tre’Davious White last season, that type of production isn’t the norm for rookies.
Hughes should see plenty of work on special teams right away, and as the season wears on he should see significant time in the slot. Alexander and Newman have the upper hand as it stands right now, but an impressive training camp could do wonders for Hughes.
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However it shakes out, the cornerback position is surely the least of Minnesota’s worries. With a depth chart littered with talent, they’d be more than welcome to let Hughes learn from the sidelines until he’s ready.