Instant Analysis: TCU’s Jeff Gladney drafted 31st overall by the Minnesota Vikings

The latest in a line of lockdown cornerbacks from TCU will get his shot at the next level. Jeff Gladney was just taken by the Minnesota Vikings with the 31st overall pick in the 1st round.

Gladney, a lightly recruited defensive back out of New Boston, went from a low 3-star rated recruit to a 1st round NFL pick, thanks to his excellent athleticism, fierce work ethic, and relentless effort.

As Melissa wrote in her Gladney preview:

He is also one of the more proven ball-hawks available, with 30 deflections over the last two seasons — an absurd number for a collegiate corner — and five career interceptions, despite giving inches to the guy he was lined up against more often than not.

Gladney joins one of the strongest defensive units in the league, but he still meets a significant need for Minnesota at cornerback. Kris Boyd and Mike Hughes are the two main corners for the Vikings, but Gladney will have a chance to step into a starting role pretty quickly.

Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has to say about Gladney:

Press cover irritant who plays an extremely competitive brand of football from snap to whistle. He has the twitch and route anticipation to stay close. Possesses ball skills to contest a good percentage of throws. His coverage traits should allow him to thrive in man or zone, but his desire to make every play on the ball could lead him into occasional bait-and-switch traps by smart quarterbacks. He’s slender so teams will need to decide whether to play him outside or in sub-packages, but no matter where he plays, this ball-hawking alpha has the talent to help his team on all three downs if needed.

Congrats, Jeff!!