The Minnesota Vikings have made another selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, and with this pick, they have headed back to the defensive backfield with a small school prospect.
Charles Demmings
Date of Birth:
College: Stephen F. Austin
Drafted: Round 5, #163 overall
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 190 pounds
Career Accomplishments: First-Team FCS All-American (2025), First-Team All-Southland (2025)
With the 163rd pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Vikings have picked Charles Demmings, a cornerback from Stephen F. Austin.
Demmings got a late
start to his football career, as he didn’t pick up the game until his senior year of high school. He had a breakout season for the Lumberjacks in his senior season of college, racking up five pass deflections and four interceptions. For his career, he set a program record with 35 pass deflections while also recording nine interceptions.
The scouting reports show that Demmings’ strengths show the most when he’s allowed to play press coverage and play on the boundary, as he has the size and speed to keep receivers from gaining too much separation on him.
He’s going to have a bit of an adjustment coming up from the Southland Conference to the National Football League, but he’s likely going to be able to at least make a contribution on special teams right away while he learns the nuances of the NFL game under Brian Flores and company in Minnesota.
The Vikings won’t pick next until the seventh round of this year’s NFL Draft.
Welcome to Minnesota, Charles Demmings!
