​The Minnesota Vikings welcomed roughly 35 new players this offseason, and with the regular season about nine weeks away, it’s time to get familiar with Charles Demmings. The fifth-round cornerback has been turning heads in Vikings circles and across the league, so much so that SI.com labeled him an overlooked steal heading into training camp. Stephen F. Austin’s Charles Demmings was seen shadowing Baylor wide receiver Josh Cameron during National Team practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium, staying tight on the route in Mobile. On January 29, 2026, Demmings participated in Senior Bowl drills before NFL evaluators, reinforcing his case as a developmental outside cornerback.
Justin Melo of SI.com singled out one overlooked rookie at each position, and Demmings earned the nod at cornerback. “Charles Demmings became the first Stephen F. Austin player in Senior Bowl history. He was outstanding in Mobile, proving he could compete with wide receivers from bigger programs. He’s 6-foot-1 with terrific length (32-inch arms) and a competitive streak marked by incredible toughness and desire,” Melo wrote. “Demmings wants to play press-man coverage and possesses the feet and mirroring skills necessary to thrive in man-to-man looks.”
So how did Demmings land in Minnesota? Last summer, the Vikings sent quarterback Sam Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles in a deal that included a fifth-round pick, and that pick ultimately became Demmings.
Is the Vikings’ cornerback room good? Yes—but not elite. It’s led by Byron Murphy Jr., who made the Pro Bowl in 2024, Isaiah Rodgers, one of the NFL’s fastest players, and newcomer James Pierre, who earned an 86.8 Pro Football Focus grade with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025. Those three form a solid unit that defensive coordinator Brian Flores should be able to deploy effectively. Yet for a hungry rookie like Demmings, the pecking order isn’t set in stone. He’s just one injury away from an active role, and given his age and upside, he could seize a CB1, CB2, or CB3 job and make it his own.
The Vikings also haven’t connected organically with a drafted cornerback who developed into a productive contributor in recent memory. The last players to do so were Xavier Rhodes (2013), Trae Waynes (2015), and Mackensie Alexander (2016). A player like Demmings could help end that drought.
Here’s the scouting perspective from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein earlier this year: “Demmings is capable of mixing into a variety of coverages but is at his best starting from a press look. He has the hips and feet to match route breaks and the speed to stay with routes as they unfold.” “His recognition and instincts are average from off coverages, and he can be a step slow to drive on throws in front of him.”