Brian Flores has been a revelation to the Minnesota Vikings on the defensive side of the football. He took a defense that was 31st in the NFL and brought it all the way up to 13th overall. That's an incredible climb
The biggest reason for that was being smarter when it came to the scheme. Flores knew how to maximize the personnel and assets that he had. They blitzed more than any other team in the league and rushed just three players more than any other team as well.
He also found a way to elevate and develop his players. One of those is cornerback Mekhi Blackmon. A third-round pick out of USC, Blackmon thrived and got playing time over former second-round pick Andrew Booth Jr. and eventually Akayleb Evans as well. Pro Football Focus named him to their all-breakout team in 2024.
Gordon McGuinness had this to say about Blackmon:
The former USC Trojan had a nice rookie campaign, posting a 71.8 PFF coverage grade after joining the Vikings as a third-round draft pick. He allowed just 28 receptions and had a combined nine pass breakups and interceptions from 329 coverage snaps in 2023.
Blackmon looked the part in his rookie season for the Vikings and thrived in multiple position across the defense. He is currently competing for a starting job in 2024 with the Vikings and could win one on the outside.
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