Top 10 Minnesota Vikings 1st Round Draft Picks of All-Time

Many safeties today have to wait until the second round to hear their name called in the NFL Draft, but Harrison Smith is a rare breed. The only active Vikings player to make this list, ‘Harry the Hitman’ is a versatile fan favorite who can do it all. Whether it’s blitzing quarterbacks, blowing up running plays in the backfield, or making game-saving plays in deep coverage, even if it means laying a bone-crunching hit, Smith is a playmaker.

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Forming one-half of the Williams wall along with Pat Williams, this Vikings draft pick oddly landed in Minnesota after the team’s draft clock expired in 2003. But it didn’t matter; the Vikings still got a five-time All-Pro defensive tackle in Kevin Williams, who excelled as a pass rusher, compiling 63 sacks, but he also held his own in run defense.

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How many times have the Vikings had the first overall pick in the NFL Draft? Twice. One was Ron Yary, a Hall of Fame offensive tackle who played for Minnesota legend Bud Grant. Unlike most offensive linemen selected in the top ten today, Yary wasn’t a blindside protector, but he was one of the best right tackles in NFL history.

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Another Vikings Hall of Fame defender, Chris Doleman had several strong seasons in Minnesota, including a 21-sack campaign in 1989. A two-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl sack master, Doleman is one of the best Vikings ever selected in the top-five.

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It’s wild to think a Hall of Fame defensive end as talented as Carl Eller can rank so low, but the Vikings have found some first-round gems over the years. Eller finished in the top ten of MVP voting three times and still leads all Vikings with 130.5 sacks in purple and gold.

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An offensive lineman? Yes, Randall McDaniel belongs on any list of the greatest first-round selections in Vikings history. A seven-time All-Pro guard who made 12 Pro Bowl teams, McDaniel is one of the best left guards in NFL history, and he has a gold jacket and a Hall of Fame bust in Canton to show for it.

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It may be weird to think of now, but Adrian Peterson, a running back selected seventh overall, was one of the best draft picks in Vikings history. But most players aren’t built like A.P. was. They called him All Day for a reason, as the size/speed specimen still holds the NFL record for most rushing yards in one game, and he has nearly 5,000 more rushing yards than any other Vikings running back.

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A case could be made for Alan Page to be the best Vikings first-round pick of all time. After all, he’s one of two Vikings first-round picks drafted by the team who have won NFL MVP and the only defender. Another Hall of Famer, Page dominated during the Purple People Eaters era, racking up 148.5 sacks despite playing defensive tackle instead of rushing off the edge.

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As great as No. 84 was, Justin Jefferson is on pace to break Moss’ receiving records in a Vikings uniform. Jefferson is a worldwide superstar, and he’s not even someone who seeks out camera time. Already viewed as the best receiver in football, Jefferson is a generational talent, and he belongs to the Vikings.

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Touted by many to be the best wide receiver in NFL history, Randy Moss is the best Vikings first-round pick of all time. The Hall of Fame wideout is a major reason why there are so many Vikings fans all around the world today, thanks to his electric speed and gamebreaking ability. If you don’t love Randy Moss, you’re not a Vikings fan.