Minnesota Vikings Miss Out On CB Stingley, Settle For S Lewis Cine

The Minnesota Vikings went into the first night of the 2022 NFL Draft with a rookie general manager who had a game plan to bring in a player that could help the defense by improving pass coverage.

It was clear that the player they wanted was LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., an elite cover man who looked like he could step in and start from Day 1. The Vikings had the No. 12 pick in the draft, and it appeared that might be the perfect spot to select Stingley.

That was the case a little over a week ago, but in the days leading up to the draft, it was clear that Stingley was moving up a variety of draft boards. It seemed quite likely he could be drafted as early as the No. 5 spot by the New York Giants or at No. 6 by the Carolina Panthers.

Those estimates turned out to be close, but Stingley moved all the way up to the third spot in the first round where he was selected by the Houston Texans.

Instead of making a move to improve the Vikings draft position, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was content to watch. Once Stingley came off the board, it looked like the Vikings might be in a position to select Trent McDuffie of Washington, considered to be the second-best corner in the draft.

But McDuffie is not the cover man that Stingley is, and Adofo-Mensah was not about to go second-best. Instead, he traded that No. 12 pick to the division rival Detroit Lions.

The Vikings received the Lions second first-round pick, the No. 32 pick overall, along with the No. 34 pick (second round) and the No. 66 pick (third round). The Vikings also gave the Lions their second-round pick (No. 46 overall).

The Vikings used the last pick in the first round to select Georgia safety Lewis Cine, who was the fifth Georgia defensive player selected in the first round.

While the need at cornerback is greater for the Vikings than anywhere else on the field, Cine represents a player who should be a starter for the Vikings for 10 years or more. There is an excellent chance he will play with veteran safety Harrison Smith, and the two could form a very productive duo.

Cine was one of the biggest risers in draft season, as his tape revealed a big-time hitter with excellent speed. Cine is 6-2 and 199 pounds, and he combines excellent instincts with an aggressiveness that has made him a superb tackler. He missed only 11 tackles on 159 attempts, according to Pro Football Focus.

Cine was timed at 4.37 in the 40 and he broke up nine passes last year with the Bulldogs. First-year head coach Kevin O’Connell said that the team’s research on Cine revealed a player who was widely respected by his teammates.

“The guy made a lot of plays on really the best defense in college football,” O’Connell said. “When we asked [Georgia players], ‘Which one of your teammates would you love to bring with you?’ Lewis Cine’s name came up a lot.”

The Vikings did not get the player they really wanted in the first round of the draft, and an argument can be made that they simply did not work hard enough to get him. But once Stingley was gone, Adofo-Mensah made a move to get a quality safety, a better second-round pick and an additional third-round pick.

The Vikings have to find a quality cornerback who can provide an upgrade to a position that has been nothing but a problem during the past two seasons. Bringing in a tight end and adding quality depth to the offensive line are two other areas that must be addressed before the NFL Draft concludes Saturday.

It continues on Friday night as the Vikings look to improve their talent level and their depth.