Brian Cole II NFL Draft 2020: Scouting Report for Minnesota Vikings' Pick

S21 Brian Cole II, Mississippi State

STRENGTHS

—Ideal height and weight for strong safety duties.

—Reacts aggressively to the football, in flight or on the ground.

—Loves to play against the run; explosive coming off the edge as a blitzer.

—Started his college career as a receiver at Michigan; shows good recognition of breaks in routes.

—His speed, physicality and aggression make him the perfect special teams player.

WEAKNESSES

—Only one full year of play at Mississippi State after an injury his junior year.

—Still a work in progress in coverage technique.

—Gives his man too much space in coverage and lacks recovery speed.

—Stiff lower body makes him a liability in man coverage.

OVERALL

Once a Michigan receiver recruit turned JUCO safety, Cole was productive during his two years in the Mississippi State secondary. He'll most likely slot in as a strong safety and special teams player.

GRADE: 55

PRO COMPARISON: Ronnie Harrison/Daniel Sorensen