With The First Pick
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Cam Dantzler continues to flash at Vikings training camp

By Nicholas Perlich

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 28: Cameron Dantzler #DB06 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs speaks to the media on day four of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 28: Cameron Dantzler #DB06 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs speaks to the media on day four of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Cam Dantzler is quickly making a name for himself with the Vikings

There was no secret that the Minnesota Vikings desperately needed to add to the cornerback group in the 2020 NFL Draft after three longtime, veteran starters left in free agency. The Vikings did just that by selecting five total defensive backs out of their 12 picks in the draft. One of those was third-round pick, Cam Dantzler.

Dantzler enjoyed a very good and illustrious college career at Mississippi State. He quickly became one of the best cornerbacks in the SEC as a sophomore when he earned Second Team All-SEC honors.

While he only played nine games in his last season in Starkville, he was still amongst the best cornerbacks in all of college football. In fact, he was one of the few players who was able to slow down the likes of Jerry Jeudy and J’Marr Chase.

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So how does a guy that performed that well in the premier college football conference fall to the third round? Part of it was his frame or lack thereof. While Dantzler has put on some muscle throughout his career, he is still very long, lean, and skinny.

The bigger factor was his poor numbers at the Scouting Combine in February. He ran a 4.64-second 40-yard dash and posted a 34.5-inch vertical jump. Both numbers were among the worst at the cornerback position in Indianapolis.

Now, in training camp, however, Dantzler looks like an absolute steal for the Vikings so far. He has been arguably the best cornerback on the entire roster to start the season. He seems to make a highlight reel play every other day in camp. His latest is this crazy interception of Kirk Cousins:

https://twitter.com/Vikings/status/1295836139249643527

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Naturally, it is still just training camp so Dantzler still needs to prove he can continue this level of play in real games this fall. That being said, he is well on his way to making a name for himself and proving that he never should have fallen to the third round of the draft. Cam Dantzler is definitely a rookie to watch going forward.

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