On the roster
Despite featuring one of the league's top emerging playmakers at the position, Minnesota is far from settled at safety. Harrison Smith looks to be on the verge of being an annual Pro Bowl player. It was a surprise he missed out last year when he had 92 tackles, a team-high five interceptions and three sacks.
There is one question when it comes to Smith, who is entering his fourth season: will the Vikings exercise the fifth-year option that comes with Smith being a first-round draft pick in 2012? Minnesota is facing a May 3 deadline for the option and haven't announced their plans. It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Vikings try and reach a long-term extension with Smith.
The spot next to Smith brings different questions. Robert Blanton led the team with 106 tackles last season. The statistic doesn't encapsulate Blanton's impact. Much of his tackles were made down the field and he took a few poor angles to ball carries. Most memorably, he was run over by Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy.
Blanton started 13 games before an injury. When he returned for the final two games, he didn't get his starting job back. Andrew Sendejo remained in the starting lineup. Sendejo is a standout special teams player and has started 13 games the past two seasons. But he's likely not the long-term answer next to Smith.
Minnesota drafted Antone Exum last season. Exum, as a former college cornerback, has the coverage ability coach Mike Zimmer prefers at safety. Exum played in all 15 games last year but was relegated to mostly special teams. Perhaps Exum demonstrates he's able and ready to take over as a starter. Ahmad Dixon, a 2014 seventh-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys out of Baylor, spent the final two weeks on the active roster but didn't see action in a game.
The Vikings signed free agent Taylor Mays, who played under Zimmer in Cincinnati. Mays is no sure bet to start. In five NFL seasons, he's started 10 games. He saw four starts for Zimmer with the Bengals. He adds competition and has played special teams.
Last five safeties drafted
Philosophy at the position
Minnesota can't look at this draft and see many possible solutions. Safety is perhaps the weakest position in this year's draft. Only one safety -- Alabama's Landon Collins -- is likely to hear his name called on the first day and Collins isn't considered to be the kind of elite talent to be a top-15 pick where the Vikings draft at No. 11 overall.
Day 2 doesn't bring many more options into play and Day 3 players are likely special teams players who might have a chance to develop later. Minnesota could be looking hard at the group of five safeties on its roster competing to fill the starting spot next to Smith.
Collins played in 41 games in three seasons at Alabama and started the last 23 games he played in. He was a first-team All-American and a finalist for the Jim Thorpe award, given to the top defensive back in college football, after tallying 103 tackles and three interceptions. Collins is at his best in attacking the run. He'll take on blockers and comes up to the line in support often.
Day 2 name to remember (Rounds 2-3)
Damarious Randall, redshirt senior, Arizona State (5-11, 196): The consensus is Randall will be the second safety drafted. Perhaps he could find himself into the back end of the first round, but more likely he will be a second-round pick.
Randall is the opposite of Collins. Randall is not as big as Collins, playing safety more with cornerback size. But Randall is a good athlete. He ran the 40-yard dash at the combine in 4.46 seconds and also was among the best safeties in the vertical jump, 3-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle.
An All-Pac-12 safety, Randall had 106 tackles and three interceptions last season in his second year after transferring from junior college. Randall shows instincts and reads a quarterback's eyes in the passing game. But he doesn't bring much in run defense, and not just because of his size. He doesn't take good routes to ball carriers and seems to back up at times. He will make his way in the NFL as a cover safety, but those are in need at the next level.
His history includes two transfers. Sample went from Washington to junior college and then to Louisville and he has limited experience. In one season at Louisville, he had 90 tackles and four interceptions. Sample is a big, strong, in-the-box type safety like Collins. But Sample also has good athleticism and has good range in seeking out ball carriers and enough to handle pass coverage.
Sample isn't considered instinctive, which could be a result of his inexperience. He's the type of player who could develop with NFL coaching and more time at the position. He will have to improve in pass coverage to survive against NFL defenses, but could maybe become a starter one day.
Follow Brian Hall on Twitter
