Recent Vikings Drafts

Rick Spielman has been a part of the Minnesota Vikings decision-making process since 2006. He was promoted to general manager in January 2012. It can be said that the last three drafts are his. He'd be the first to say that he had the help of many but the final draft day decisions since the 2012 NFL Draft have been his. In those three drafts, Spielman has shown a special fondness for adding first round picks. Who wouldn't? The top of the college talent pool is found there. Plus, the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement gave teams a fifth-year option on all first round draft picks. This is actually pretty significant. Acquiring those extra first round picks required the trading of second round picks. Teams can get five years out of their first round picks before it's time to negotiate those often large second contracts. They only get four years for the second round picks. It's great to get those extra top picks. It's more important to use them wisely. The early indications are that Rick Spielman has used those picks first round picks wisely. The Vikings future is in the drafts of the last three years. Here they are:

2012 Draft
1. T Matt Kalil
1. S Harrison Smith
3. CB Josh Robinson
4. WR Jarius Wright
4. TE Rhett Ellison
4. WR Greg Childs
5. S Robert Blanton
6. K Blair Walsh
7. LB Audie Cole
7. DE Trevor Guyton

2013 Draft
1. DT Sharrif Floyd
1. CB Xavier Rhodes
1. WR Cordarrelle Patterson
4. LB Gerald Hodges
5. P Jeff Locke
6. G Jeff Baca
7. LB Michael Mauti
7. G Travis Bond
7. DT Everett Dawkins

2014 Draft
1. LB Anthony Barr
1. QB Teddy Bridgewater
3. DE Scott Crichton
3. RB Jerick McKinnon
5. G David Yankey
6. S Antone Exum
6. CB Kendall James
7. DT Shamar Stephen
7. LB Brandon Watts
7. CB Jabari Price

Matt Kalil, Blair Walsh, and Cordarrelle Patterson have already made Pro Bowl appearances. Harrison Smith is about one completely healthy season from joining them. Xavier Rhodes, Sharrif Floyd, Jeff Locke, and Anthony Barr are starters. Jarius Wright and Rhett Ellison are starters in certain offensive sets. Robert Blanton, Gerald Hodges, Audie Cole, Jeff Baca, Michael Mauti, Teddy Bridgewater, David Yankey, and Antone Exum are in training camp battles for starting spots. Scott Crichton will be a significant part of the Vikings' defensive line rotation. Jerick McKinnon should earn time as the third-down back and is likely in the running to return kicks and/or punts. Greg Childs, Trevor Guyton, Travis Bond, and Everett Dawkins are the only players no longer on the Vikings roster. Childs was released after never fully recovering from a devastating injury in the 2012 training camp. Nearly half of the expected 2014 roster will come from these three drafts. The Vikings went through a tremendous talent drain following a terrific 2009 season. That was a very talented, but veteran, football team. They needed young talent. They needed these drafts. The hope in Minnesota, and here, is that this run of drafts will draw comparisons to the great Pittsburgh Steelers drafts from 1969-74. Those drafts brought four Super Bowl titles. That would be sweet! Of course, it all depends on Teddy Bridgewater. It's been said many times and in many ways. It's all about the quarterback in today's NFL. If Bridgewater becomes the franchise quarterback that the Vikings have spent nearly 40 years trying to find, they might have something. Kalil, Smith, Floyd, Rhodes, Patterson, Barr, and Bridgewater should be franchise cornerstones. Mauti, Blanton, Hodges, Crichton, Yankey, and Exum could join them.