The 5 Best Draft Picks in Vikings History
The Minnesota Vikings arrived on the scene in 1961 and have fired off 64 seasons since.
Minnesota has the fourth-best regular season win percentage in the Super Bowl era (since 1966), but oddly, no Super Bowl trophies to show for it.
The 5 Best Draft Picks in Vikings History
Along the way, countless draft picks have impacted the team significantly, and these are the five best to do it, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = best) per Stathead‘s approximate value metric.
5. Randy Moss (WR)
Pro Bowls: 6
1st-Team All-Pro: 4
Drafted: Round 1 (1998)
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 12
It almost feels laughable to provide a caption because, for most fans, none is needed. Moss forever changed the Vikings — and the NFL’s passing game — spending 7.5 seasons in the Twin Cities.
Ask any Vikings fans between the ages of 30 and 45, and he or she will likely tell you Moss is why they became a fan. He was that guy.
The only reason he isn’t higher on the list is relative longevity. For impact on the franchise — marketability, popularity, etc. — an argument could be made for Moss at No. 1.
4. Randall McDaniel (G)
Pro Bowls: 12
1st-Team All-Pro: 7
Drafted: Round 1 (1988)
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 14
If offensive guards were “allowed” to get as many kudos as quarterbacks, wide receivers, and EDGE rushers, McDaniel could reasonably be called the best Viking ever. Look at his resume.
The man was an ideal trenchman and helped anchor Minnesota’s offensive line from 1988 to 1999. He then trekked to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, retiring one year too soon as Jon Gruden’s Buccaneers won a Super Bowl right after McDaniel left.
3. Carl Eller (DE)
Pro Bowls: 6
1st-Team All-Pro: 5
Drafted: Round 1 (1964)
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 15
Eller ranks 18th all-time in sacks, is in the Hall of Fame like Moss and McDaniel, and was a foundational staple of the Purple People Eaters along with the next guy on the list.
Playing at the University of Minnesota before heading to Bloomington, Eller was also a Golden Gopher before a Viking, only enhancing the lore of his robust resume.
2. Alan Page (DT)
Pro Bowls: 9
All-Pro: 5
Drafted: Round 1 (1967)
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 15
Page places eighth all-time in sacks with 148.5, a mystical amount for a defensive tackle. Choosing between him and Eller for the Nos. 2 and 3 spots felt like deciding between Adam Thielen or Stefon Diggs’ impact on the 2015-2019 Vikings. They’re surprisingly equal.
In the end, Page was probably a bit more productive, but only by a whisker.
1. Fran Tarkenton (QB)
Pro Bowls: 9
All-Pro: 1
Drafted: Round 3 (1961)
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 18
Three items give Tarkenton the nod at the pinnacle of this list:
- He played the NFL’s most important position.
- Tarkenton was a Round 3 discovery 62 years ago — not Round 1.
- His longevity is unrivaled among QBs in Vikings history.
Tarkenton played a career equivalent to Harrison Smith’s + Justin Jefferson’s current tenures in the league. And he did so at quarterback. When he retired in 1978 — coincidentally around the time the Vikings quit reaching Super Bowls — he led NFL history in most meaningful quarterback metrics.
Honorable Mentions
6. Chris Doleman (DE)
7. Bobby Bell (LB)
8. Ron Yary (OT)
9. Kevin Williams (DT)
10. Adrian Peterson (RB)
11. Justin Jefferson (WR)
With any luck, this list will eventually include 2024 and 2025 draftees.
The Newest Viking … with the Most Upside
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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