Minnesota Vikings CB Mekhi Blackmon

USC | RS Senior | Round 3, Pick 102

Blackmon grew up in the hometown of NFL star Davante Adams, playing on the same AAU basketball team Adams did, albeit a few years after the receiver. The honorable mention All-San Francisco Metro pick as a senior at Menlo-Atherton High School began his collegiate career at the College of San Mateo. After one year there, he transferred to Colorado for the 2018 season, when he started three of eight appearances (10 tackles, two pass breakups). Blackmon redshirted in 2019, however, after trying to play through a shoulder injury for four games (10 tackles, two starts). He started all six of the Buffaloes' games in 2020, making 15 tackles, intercepting one pass and breaking up six others. Blackmon missed three games due to injury in 2021 but still garnered honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors by starting eight of nine games played (41 tackles, one interception, four pass breakups). He returned to California for his final season, heading to Los Angeles to play for the Trojans, and he garnered third-team AP All-American and first-team all-conference honors after intercepting three passes, breaking up a team-high 12 passes and posting 66 tackles in 14 starts. -- by Chad Reuter, NFL.com