1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

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Pondering Her Percy
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1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by Pondering Her Percy »

Vikings selected UCF CB Mike Hughes with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
Hughes (5’10/189) played his first college season at North Carolina, his second in JUCO, and his third at UCF in 2017, where Hughes earned first-team All-American Conference at cornerback and second team at return specialist. He averaged 31.9 yards per kickoff return and 16.6 yards on punts, all told scoring three return TDs. Hughes also intercepted five passes at corner and allowed an anemic 43.9 passer rating when targeted (PFF). A 73rd-percentile SPARQ athlete who specializes in press coverage, Hughes’ biggest drawback is his size.
Figured it would be easier commenting on each pick rather than have it all in one thread.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by Dakotavike »

I like it. Good idea!!! As I mentioned in another post my problem with this pick is that I feared a second round run on OL and due to our late pick we’d miss the boat on a quality guy. I kinda feel like that’s exactly what happened. Time will tell but I wasn’t thrilled about not going OL here.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by Laserman »

Kinda surprised we took a corner with the first pick, not as glaring a need as Def and Off Line. Hmm, well, you can never have enough good corners and maybe he will be better than Waynes.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by Maelstrom88 »

I like this pick. Insurance and competition for Waynes as well as a replacement for Newman. Corner is the toughest position on sports imo so it's always good to add talent there. I'm wondering if he will be the kickoff returner. A bit short so I'm not sure if that limits him from playing outside in Zimmer's mind.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by dead_poet »

Maelstrom88 wrote: Mon Apr 30, 2018 12:51 am I like this pick. Insurance and competition for Waynes as well as a replacement for Newman. Corner is the toughest position on sports imo so it's always good to add talent there. I'm wondering if he will be the kickoff returner. A bit short so I'm not sure if that limits him from playing outside in Zimmer's mind.
I think he's the same height as Newman FWIW.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by Pondering Her Percy »

FWIW, Peter Shraeger said that the Vikings were the NFC team that took the best defensive player in the draft in Hughes
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by 720pete »

Isn't this team kind of in win now mode? I'm surprised we took a corner. When we drafted Waynes he basically didn't play his first year. This is probably a good pick long term but I would have preferred OL.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by ChicagoViking »

Pondering Her Percy wrote: Mon Apr 30, 2018 10:08 pmFWIW, Peter Shraeger said that the Vikings were the NFC team that took the best defensive player in the draft in Hughes
Speaking of Shraeger, I saw this snippet leading up to the draft:

https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-bears ... -115714258
In Peter Schrager's mock draft for NFL.com, he has them taking a surprise selection at eighth overall: UCF cornerback Mike Hughes.

Here's what Schrager had to say:

"Hughes is going to be selected a lot higher than most mock drafts have him going right now, as a shutdown corner who possesses tremendous athletic ability. I've spoken to some scouts who have circled him as the combine/pro day riser to watch."

Seeing Hughes go in the first round is not much of a surprise, but few mock drafts have him going anywhere near the top-10 selections. He initially committed to North Carolina in 2015 and appeared in 10 games that season, recording 11 tackles. He was later suspended from the program and charged with misdemeanor assault. After transferring and playing at Garden City Community College, Hughes joined UCF last season. In his one year he recorded 49 tackles and four sacks.

Many believe he should have stayed at UCF for at least one more season, including an NFC regional scout.

"I wish he would have stayed," a scout told NFL.com. "I don't see him as a 'one' and I think he could have been with another year. He's just raw right now but he's got the ability to become a really tough ball challenger."

Hughes has the physicality, toughness and ball skills to be an effective NFL cornerback, but his lack of overall work at the collegiate level is a bit alarming. His technique needs a lot of improvement and while the ceiling is very high on him, he is not projected to be the type of player who can walk in and immediately become a high-level starter in the NFL.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by S197 »

I'm glad Newman is coming back as he can serve as a good mentor for Hughes. He did leave early and I believe only started 11 games at UCF so he may need a vet to guide him some.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by Cliff »

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/d ... eturn-game
PFF Draft positional ranking: No. 5 cornerback

Kick return grade ranking: No. 1 in draft class

Punt return grade ranking: No. 7 in draft class

Hughes didn’t have much of a return specialist resume before the 2017 season, as before last year he had only three career kick returns for 63 yards at UNC before transferring to UCF. However, Hughes showed last season that he is deadly both as a kick and punt returner. He had 20 kick returns for 637 yards (31.9 average), two touchdowns, and the highest kick return grade of any player in the draft class. Hughes also had 14 punt returns for 233 yards (16.6 average) and one touchdown. Hughes will offer his NFL team all of that in addition to his first-round cornerback ability.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by Pondering Her Percy »

After seeing those numbers, I 100% understand why we went in this direction. He was far and away the best PLAYER available at 30. Not necessarily the best NEED available. But those PFF rankings are eye popping.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by YikesVikes »

Pondering Her Percy wrote: Thu May 03, 2018 9:48 am After seeing those numbers, I 100% understand why we went in this direction. He was far and away the best PLAYER available at 30. Not necessarily the best NEED available. But those PFF rankings are eye popping.
Why do those numbers make sense that he was taken at 30? He was the 3rd CB taken. Nothing wrong with the player but there were players of equal value in positions of need. We needed to address the Oline with talent. Im really disappointed that we neglected OG to focus on CB which wasn't and isn't an area of need. Was depth there perfect? No but when you compare it to what we have on the oline, it is a cornucopia. One injury at oline and our season is probably sunk. While I pray that Oneil is an Allpro, I wouldn't bet a championship team on it. We've seen the athletic, undersize, project OT, 2 times already in Beavers and Clemens. Both were busts.
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by Pondering Her Percy »

YikesVikes wrote: Thu May 03, 2018 2:21 pm Why do those numbers make sense that he was taken at 30? He was the 3rd CB taken. Nothing wrong with the player but there were players of equal value in positions of need. We needed to address the Oline with talent. Im really disappointed that we neglected OG to focus on CB which wasn't and isn't an area of need. Was depth there perfect? No but when you compare it to what we have on the oline, it is a cornucopia. One injury at oline and our season is probably sunk. While I pray that Oneil is an Allpro, I wouldn't bet a championship team on it. We've seen the athletic, undersize, project OT, 2 times already in Beavers and Clemens. Both were busts.
And one injury at CB and our season isnt sunk? No. In 2016 when we had all the injuries on the OL, we didnt have any depth. We have much better depth now than we did then IMO. Please explain to me who would go in if (knock on wood) Rhodes went down? Or even Waynes? Marcus Sherels is who.

If any OT gets hurt we have 4 OT's that can play LT, we have 4 OT's that can play RT. Reiff, Remmers, Hill and ONeill. No less neither of the 4 are BAD OT's like a TJ Clemmings.

If any OG gets hurt we have guard possibilities of Remmers, Easton, Isidora, Gossett, Compton and even Elflein (if he ever needed to move for some reason)

And then at C we have Elflein and Easton.

Name me the depth we had in 2016. It's not even comparable. We have a ton of versatile players on this line and can form many different combinations.

After Waynes, Rhodes and a questionable Alexander, we literally had NOTHING. Granted we just got Newman back but that was after the draft and he's also 40. Of course, I wouldnt have minded taking OL because we could always get better there but again, I understand WHY they went with CB. They are also drafting behind someone they could lose. If someone goes down on our OL, we are still in good shape. If a starting outside CB went down without Hughes, we were dead meat. Especially with the QBs we face this year. It was BPA. Simple as that. So I cant blame them
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Re: 1st Round Pick- Mike Hughes- CB, UCF

Post by YikesVikes »

Pondering Her Percy wrote: Mon May 07, 2018 2:34 pm And one injury at CB and our season isnt sunk? No. In 2016 when we had all the injuries on the OL, we didnt have any depth. We have much better depth now than we did then IMO. Please explain to me who would go in if (knock on wood) Rhodes went down? Or even Waynes? Marcus Sherels is who.

If any OT gets hurt we have 4 OT's that can play LT, we have 4 OT's that can play RT. Reiff, Remmers, Hill and ONeill. No less neither of the 4 are BAD OT's like a TJ Clemmings.

If any OG gets hurt we have guard possibilities of Remmers, Easton, Isidora, Gossett, Compton and even Elflein (if he ever needed to move for some reason)

And then at C we have Elflein and Easton.

Name me the depth we had in 2016. It's not even comparable. We have a ton of versatile players on this line and can form many different combinations.

After Waynes, Rhodes and a questionable Alexander, we literally had NOTHING. Granted we just got Newman back but that was after the draft and he's also 40. Of course, I wouldnt have minded taking OL because we could always get better there but again, I understand WHY they went with CB. They are also drafting behind someone they could lose. If someone goes down on our OL, we are still in good shape. If a starting outside CB went down without Hughes, we were dead meat. Especially with the QBs we face this year. It was BPA. Simple as that. So I cant blame them
1. Injury at CB would not sink our season. This isn't even considering that we could sign a guy off the street, could have drafted a guy in the 2nd or 3rd. Even without those options, reduced play at corner (Alexander or Sherels starting) would not be a lost season.

2. You threw out a lot of names at OT and OG but the same amount of names could be thrown out in 2016. The difference now is the hindsight. Having depth isn't just about the numbers, its about the talent on roster. Many of the guys you listed are Jags that you have never seen play. You naming Compton is laughable. Might as well name me, because you have no idea how either of us look. I'm not excited about having Remmers at guard and Hill at RT.

3. Each season we would be about getting better. Hughes doesn't make this team in the middle of a championship run tremendously better. Henderson would have. I'm not sure why you can't see that we have issues at Guard. Easton should be replaced as isn't great. I have high hopes for Isadora because if he doesn't work out we are in trouble.

4. We keep dumping 1st rounders into the defense with little thought of the offensive line. You can't keep throwing UDFAs and low drafted guys out there and think that it will work out. Outside of Khalil, our investments into the oline via the draft have been laughable. We have maybe 1 success story in Sullivan. The rest have had a decent year and then fallen off.

5. Wouldn't it be nice to have a guy that can actually open up holes for our Rbs. Not just not get beat but on a consistent basis, win and have an effect on the game.
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