List of Minnesota Vikings first-round draft picks

Last updated

Adrian Peterson, the Vikings' seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. AdrianPeterson.jpg
Adrian Peterson, the Vikings' seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft.

The Minnesota Vikings joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1961. The Vikings' first draft selection as an NFL team was Tommy Mason, a running back from Tulane University. The team's most recent first-round selection is Jordan Addison, a wide receiver from the University of Southern California.

Contents

Every April, each NFL franchise seeks to add new players to its roster through a collegiate draft known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting", more commonly known as the NFL draft. Teams are ranked in reverse order based on the previous season's record, with team with the worst record picking first, the team with the second-worst record picking second, and so on. The two exceptions to this order are made for teams that appeared in the previous Super Bowl; the Super Bowl champion always picks last and the Super Bowl loser always picks second-last. Teams have the option of trading away their picks to other teams for different picks, players, cash, or a combination thereof. Thus, it is not uncommon for a team's actual draft pick to differ from their assigned draft pick, or for a team to have extra or no draft picks in any round due to these trades.

The Vikings have selected number one overall twice. The Vikings received the first pick in 1961 as an expansion franchise and then again in 1968 when the franchise chose Ron Yary, an offensive tackle from the University of Southern California. The Vikings have used first-round selections on players from the University of Southern California five times, Michigan State University four times, and from the University of Notre Dame, Oklahoma State University, Ohio State University, Florida State University and North Carolina State University three times. The Vikings have drafted 10 running backs, the most common position drafted by the franchise, followed by defensive end (9), defensive tackle (8), defensive back (8) and wide receiver (8). Six eventual Hall of Famers have been selected by the Vikings in the first-round: Carl Eller, Alan Page, Chris Doleman, Randall McDaniel, Ron Yary and Randy Moss. [1]

Key

BBackK Kicker NT Nose tackle
C Center LB Linebacker FB Fullback
DB Defensive back P Punter HB Halfback
DE Defensive end QB Quarterback WR Wide receiver
DT Defensive tackle RB Running back G Guard
E End T Offensive tackle TE Tight end
^Indicates the player was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
§Enshrined in the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor
Indicates the player was selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
 * Selected number one overall
The Vikings did not draft a player in the first round that year.
YearEach year links to an article about that particular NFL Draft.
PickIndicates the number of the pick within the first round
PositionThe player's position
CollegeThe player's college football team

Player selections

Minnesota Vikings first-round draft picks
YearPickPlayer namePositionCollegeNotes
National Football League, Early Era (1950–1969)
1961 1 Tommy Mason    *RB Tulane
1962 No pick [2]
1963 3 Jim Dunaway T Ole Miss [3]
1964 6 Carl Eller    § ^DE Minnesota
1965 8 Jack Snow WR Notre Dame [4]
1966 7 Jerry Shay DT Purdue
1967 2 Clinton Jones RB Michigan State [5]
8 Gene Washington   WR Michigan State
15 Alan Page    § ^DT Notre Dame [6]
1968 1 Ron Yary    § ^ *T USC [5]
1969 No pick [7]
National Football League, Modern Era (1970–present)
1970 25 John Ward T Oklahoma State
1971 24 Leo Hayden RB Ohio State
1972 10 Jeff Siemon   LB Stanford [8]
1973 12 Chuck Foreman    §RB Miami (FL)
1974 17 Fred McNeill LB UCLA [9]
25 Steve Riley T USC
1975 25 Mark Mullaney DE Colorado State
1976 25 James White DT Oklahoma State
1977 27 Tommy Kramer   QB Rice
1978 21 Randy Holloway DE Pittsburgh
1979 16 Ted Brown RB NC State
1980 9 Doug Martin DT Washington
1981 No pick [10]
1982 7 Darrin Nelson RB Stanford
1983 19 Joey Browner    §DB USC
1984 13 Keith Millard   DE Washington State
1984* 13 Allanda Smith CB TCU [11]
1985 4 Chris Doleman    § ^LB Pittsburgh [12]
1986 14 Gerald Robinson DE Auburn [13]
1987 14 D. J. Dozier RB Penn State [14]
1988 19 Randall McDaniel    § ^G Arizona State
1989 No pick [15]
1990 No pick [16]
1991 No pick [16]
1992 No pick [16]
1993 21 Robert Smith   RB Ohio State
1994 18 Dewayne Washington CB NC State [17]
19 Todd Steussie   T California
1995 11 Derrick Alexander DE Florida State [18]
24 Korey Stringer    §T Ohio State
1996 16 Duane Clemons LB California
1997 20 Dwayne Rudd LB Alabama
1998 21 Randy Moss    § ^WR Marshall
1999 11 Daunte Culpepper   QB UCF [19]
29 Dimitrius Underwood DE Michigan State
2000 25 Chris Hovan DT Boston College
2001 27 Michael Bennett   RB Wisconsin
2002 7 Bryant McKinnie   T Miami (FL)
2003 9 Kevin Williams   DT Oklahoma State [20]
2004 20 Kenechi Udeze DE USC [21]
2005 7 Troy Williamson WR South Carolina [22]
18 Erasmus James DE Wisconsin
2006 17 Chad Greenway   LB Iowa
2007 7 Adrian Peterson   RB Oklahoma
2008 No pick [23]
2009 22 Percy Harvin   WR Florida
2010 No pick [24]
2011 12 Christian Ponder QB Florida State
2012 4 Matt Kalil   T USC [25]
29 Harrison Smith   S Notre Dame [26]
2013 23 Sharrif Floyd DT Florida
25 Xavier Rhodes   CB Florida State [27]
29 Cordarrelle Patterson   WR Tennessee [28]
2014 9 Anthony Barr   LB UCLA [29]
32 Teddy Bridgewater   QB Louisville [30]
2015 11 Trae Waynes CB Michigan State
2016 23 Laquon Treadwell WR Ole Miss
2017 No pick [31]
2018 30 Mike Hughes CB UCF
2019 18 Garrett Bradbury C NC State
2020 22 Justin Jefferson   WR LSU
31 Jeff Gladney CB TCU
2021 23 Christian Darrisaw T Virginia Tech
2022 32 Lewis Cine S Georgia
2023 23 Jordan Addison WR USC
2024 10 J. J. McCarthy QB Michigan
17 Dallas Turner DE Alabama

Footnotes

  1. "Hall of Famers by Franchise - Hall of Famers - Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  2. The Vikings first-round pick in 1962 was acquired by the Los Angeles Rams from the New York Giants. The Vikings had traded their first-round pick in 1962 to the Giants for quarterback George Shaw.
  3. Jim Dunaway opted to sign with the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League (AFL).
  4. The Vikings traded Jack Snow to the Los Angeles Rams before the start of the 1965 NFL season.
  5. 1 2 The Vikings acquired the New York Giants 2nd and 28th (second-round) overall picks from the 1967 draft, the 1st overall pick from the 1968 draft and the 39th (second-round) pick from the 1969 draft in exchange for quarterback Fran Tarkenton.
  6. The fifteenth pick in 1967 was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams.
  7. The Vikings first-round pick in 1969 was acquired by the New Orleans Saints.
  8. The Vikings traded quarterback Joe Kapp to the Boston Patriots in 1970 in exchange for the Patriots' 10th overall pick in 1972.
  9. The Vikings traded quarterback Bob Lee and linebacker Lonnie Warwick to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for the Falcons' quarterback Bob Berry and the 17th overall pick.
  10. The Vikings traded their first-round pick (18th overall) to the Baltimore Colts in exchange for Colts' two second-round and one fifth-round draft picks.
  11. In 1984, The NFL held a three-round supplemental draft for college seniors who had already signed with a USFL or CFL team. The Vikings drafted Allanda Smith who had already signed the Los Angeles Express of the USFL.
  12. The Vikings traded their second overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Falcons' fourth overall pick and a third-round pick (60th overall).
  13. The Vikings traded their eighth overall and 67th overall (third-round) to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for the Chargers' 14th and 44th (second-round) overall picks.
  14. The Vikings traded their 16th overall and a fifth-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the Dolphins' 14th overall pick.
  15. The Vikings 24th overall pick was acquired by the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for LB Mike Merriweather .
  16. 1 2 3 The Vikings traded linebackers Jesse Solomon, David Howard, cornerback Issiac Holt, running back Darrin Nelson, defensive end Alex Stewart, their 21st, 47th (second-round) and 158th (sixth-round) picks from the 1990 draft, their 11th and 38th (second-round) picks from the 1991 draft, their 40th (second-round) and 71st (third-round) picks from the 1992 draft, and their 13th overall pick in the 1993 draft to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for the Cowboys' running back Herschel Walker, the 54th (third-round), 116th (fifth-round), 249th (tenth-round) picks from 1990 and the 68th (third-round) pick from 1991. The deal, known as the Herschel Walker trade, is the largest player trade in NFL history.
  17. The Vikings traded offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman to the Denver Broncos in exchange for the Broncos' 18th and 179th (sixth-round) picks in the 1994 draft, and the 42nd (second-round) overall pick in the 1995 draft.
  18. The Vikings traded defensive end Chris Doleman to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for the Falcons' 40th overall pick in the 1994 draft and the 11th overall pick in the 1995 draft.
  19. The Vikings traded quarterback Brad Johnson to the Washington Redskins in exchange for the Redskins' 11th and 73rd (third-round) picks in the 1999 draft and the 56th overall (fifth-round) pick in the 2000 draft.
  20. The Vikings passed on the seventh and eighth overall picks.
  21. The Vikings traded their 19th overall pick from the 2004 draft to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the Dolphins' 20th and 119th (fourth-round) picks.
  22. The Vikings traded wide receiver Randy Moss to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the Raiders' middle linebacker Napoleon Harris and the seventh and 219th (seventh-round) overall picks.
  23. The Vikings traded their 17th overall pick (first-round), the 73rd and 82nd overall picks (third-round), and 182nd overall pick (sixth-round) in the 2008 draft for defensive end Jared Allen from the Kansas City Chiefs.
  24. The Vikings traded their 30th overall pick (first-round) and the 128th overall pick (fourth-round) in the 2010 draft to the Detroit Lions for the 34th overall pick (second-round), the 100th overall pick (fourth-round), and the 214th overall pick (seventh-round) in the 2010 draft.
  25. The Vikings traded their original 3rd overall pick (first-round) in the 2012 draft to the Cleveland Browns for the 4th overall pick (first-round), the 118th overall pick (fourth-round), the 139th overall pick (fifth-round), and the 211th overall pick (seventh-round) in the 2012 draft.
  26. The Vikings traded the 35th overall pick (second-round) and 98th overall pick (fourth-round) in the 2012 draft to the Baltimore Ravens for the 29th overall pick (first-round) in the 2012 draft.
  27. The Vikings traded wide receiver Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks for the 25th overall pick (first-round) and 214th overall pick (seventh-round) in the 2013 draft as well as the Seahawks third-round selection in the 2014 draft.
  28. The Vikings traded the 52nd overall pick (second-round), 83rd overall pick (third-round), 102nd overall pick (fourth-round), and 229th overall pick (seventh-round) in the 2013 draft to the New England Patriots for the 29th overall pick (first-round) in the 2013 draft.
  29. The Vikings traded their original 8th overall pick (first-round) in the 2014 draft to the Cleveland Browns for the 9th overall pick (first-round), and the 145th overall pick (fifth-round) in the 2014 draft.
  30. The Vikings traded their original 40th overall pick (second-round) and 108th overall pick (fourth-round) in the 2014 draft to the Seattle Seahawks for the 32nd overall pick (first-round).
  31. The Vikings traded their 14th overall pick in the 2017 draft and their fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Sam Bradford.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 NFL draft</span> 66th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible players

The 2001 NFL draft was the 66th draft annual of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible professional football players. The draft, which is officially referred to as the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on April 21–22, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 NFL draft</span> 71st annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible players

The 2006 NFL draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City, New York, at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by NFL Network. Having signed a contract with the Houston Texans on the evening before the draft, Mario Williams, a defensive end from North Carolina State, became the draft's first pick. The selection surprised many commentators, who predicted that the Texans would draft Southern California running back Reggie Bush or Texas quarterback Vince Young. Ohio State produced the most first round selections (five), while Southern California produced the most overall selections (eleven). Twenty-seven compensatory and supplemental compensatory selections were distributed amongst seventeen teams; Tampa Bay, Baltimore, and Tennessee each held three compensatory picks. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 NFL draft</span> 72nd annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible players

The 2007 NFL draft was the 72nd annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible American football players. It took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so. There were 255 draft selections: 223 regular selections and 32 compensatory selections. A supplemental draft was also held after the regular draft and before the regular season. This was the first draft presided over by new NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 Minnesota Vikings season</span> NFL team season

The 1985 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 25th in the National Football League. Under returning head coach Bud Grant, they finished with a 7–9 record and missed the playoffs for a third season in a row. At the end of the season, Grant retired for good after 18 years with the franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 NFL draft</span> 73rd annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible players

The 2008 NFL draft was the 73rd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so. Of the 252 selections, 220 were regular selections in rounds one through seven, and 32 were compensatory selections, distributed among rounds three through seven. As of the end of the 2018 season, 27 players have been selected to the Pro Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 NFL draft</span> 81st annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible players

The 2016 NFL draft was the 81st annual draft of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park in Chicago. The draft began on Thursday, April 28 with the first round, and ended on Saturday, April 30. The Tennessee Titans, the team with the fewest wins in the NFL for the 2015 season, traded the right to the top pick in the draft to the Los Angeles Rams, the first time the top pick was traded before the draft since 2001 when the San Diego Chargers traded their first pick to the Atlanta Falcons. Ohio State became the second school to have three players drafted in the top ten and to have five players drafted in the first round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 NFL draft</span> 86th annual meeting of NFL franchises to select newly eligible players

The 2021 NFL draft was the 86th National Football League draft, the annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2021 NFL season. The draft was held in Cleveland from April 29 to May 1, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 NFL draft</span> 87th annual meeting of NFL franchises to select newly eligible players

The 2022 NFL draft was the 87th edition of the National Football League's annual draft and was held from April 28–30, 2022, at the Caesars Forum on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The first round was held on Thursday, April 28, and was followed by the second and third rounds on Friday, April 29. The draft concluded with rounds 4–7 on Saturday, April 30. It was the first draft to be held in the Las Vegas metropolitan area and the state of Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Minnesota Vikings season</span> 60th season in franchise history

The 2020 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 60th in the National Football League (NFL), their fifth playing home games at U.S. Bank Stadium and their seventh under head coach Mike Zimmer. This was the Vikings' first time since 2005 that long-time assistant Kevin Stefanski was not part of the Vikings coaching staff, as he left to become the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns on January 12, 2020. After going 1–5 in their first six games for the first time since 2013, the team failed to improve upon their 10–6 record from 2019 after a Week 11 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and failed to match their 10–6 record after a Week 14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention following a week 16 loss to the New Orleans Saints, and ultimately finished 7–9, their first losing season since 2014. The Vikings conceded 475 points during the season, the third-highest total in franchise history, although they also managed to score 430 points, also the third-most in team history.

References