Early returns on Vikings undrafted free agent show he will make the league regret not selecting him in the 2025 NFL Draft

Zemaiah Vaughn continues to stand out

Mandatory minicamp is often the first time you get to see the rookie class truly go up against the veterans. The Vikings had very high attendance for OTAs, which will help them in many ways, but it also gives the rookies more opportunities.

Of all the rookies that were on the field, one player has been mentioned multiple times: undrafted free agent cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn. 

Undrafted free agency is a place where the Vikings have had a lot of success, with eight UDFAs having made the team during general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's tenure. Vaughn could be the next player to make the roster, as he fits really well with what defensive coordinator Brian Flores likes to do.

The Athletic's Dane Brugler didn't have a full scouting report on Vaughn in The Beast, but his write-up gives a solid synopsis of what he projects to be in the NFL.

Zemaiah (zuh-my-uh) Vaughn, one of eight children, grew up in southeast Texas, with his parents (Chris and Zipporah). Following in one of his older brother's footsteps, he grew up playing quarterback and earned first-team all-district honors in 2019 as a senior at United High (1,049 rushing yards and 854 passing yards). A no-star recruit, he was overlooked until Utah and defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley gave him a walk-on opportunity as a defensive back. Despite having no experience in the secondary, he joined the Utes and made the positional transition, eventually starting 31 straight games at left cornerback to finish his career.

Although leaner than is ideal, Vaughn has an elite mix of height, length and straight-line speed. He is leggy in his movements — some of that stifness hinders his ability to stay attached with quick-twitch route runners. He entered the 2024 season with high expectations, but ofenses found too much success throwing at his side of the field. Overall, Vaughn allows too much separation in man, but he is long and fast and has upside as a corner in Cover 3, where he could read and react.

Two things really stand out here:

• Vaughn was a high school quarterback
• His frame is very unique

The Vikings haven't shied away from players who are on the slender side on the outside. Jordan Addison and Mekhi Blackmon are both under 180 lbs, and the Vikings drafted them in the first two days of the 2023 NFL Draft. Isaiah Rodgers and Dwight McGlothern are also on the slimmer side. It's a concession that Flores seems to be willing to make, and the other abilities that Vaughn has can make up for that.

The length Vaughn has really stands out. At 6'2.5, Vaughn has 32" arms and enough patience to make that length matter at the catch point. He played well against eighth overall pick Tetairoa McMillan this past season, allowing five catches, but all of them were in front of him. He ran stride for stride with him on the outside and had a nice pass breakup.

He does a good job of reading and reacting to what's going on in front of him, which is paramount in zone coverage. Flores likes to play zone, and having that ability is crucial. Another element that's crucial to the defense is good tackling. Vaughn isn't an elite tackler, but he is more than willing to get his nose dirty.

The package is there for Flores to find a diamond in undrafted free agency. Can he do just that? Time will tell, but he got himself an interception during practice on Wednesday.

Keep an eye out for Vaughn over the next few weeks. He could be the next find for the Vikings.