When it comes to the NFL draft, the Minnesota Vikings have had some incredible success. Outside of the first round, they have found some incredibly talented players that have been named All Pro.
When you look at the history of Vikings drafts, former general manager Rick Spielman had some excellent hits, especially in the 2015 NFL draft, which has two players on the list.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid and Matt Miller put together the biggest draft day steals over the last decade. Overall, the Vikings have four of the top draft steals of the last decade, including one in the top ten.
Stefon Diggs
When: 2015 Fifth-round pick (146th overall)
Rank: 7th
Diggs was arguably the most important draft pick in recent Vikings history. Not only was he great in a Vikings uniform, but the trade to the Buffalo Bills netted them Justin Jefferson.
Diggs came to Maryland as a highly touted recruit, but he struggled to break out as a Terrapin and battled injuries that pushed him down to Round 5 in the 2015 draft. But first with the Vikings and now with the Bills, Diggs has been that promising player as a pro. An explosive, dynamic threat with the ball in his hands, Diggs is an All-Pro-caliber receiver and a true WR1. He has never had fewer than 720 receiving yards in a season, is coming off his fifth-straight 1,000-yard campaign and led the NFL with 1,535 yards in 2020. -Miller
Danielle Hunter
When: 2015 third-round pick (88th overall)
Rank: 30th
The selection of Hunter gave the Vikings a top-tier edge rusher for eight seasons. The success of him and Everson Griffen have hindered the Vikings’ draft strategy in consistently going to the well of mid-round edge rushers.
Hunter had just 4.5 total sacks during his three-year LSU career, as his production did not match his high-level traits. But things clicked in the pros, as he became the youngest player in NFL history to record 50 sacks. Hunter is a menace off of the edge and is considered a top-10 player at the position. -Reid
Dalvin Cook
When: 2017 second-round pick (41st overall)
Rank: 35th
The Vikings had just moved on from Adrian Peterson and the selection of Cook gave them a workhorse running back for six seasons.
There was no doubting Cook’s talent coming out of Florida State — he averaged north of 1,700 rushing yards over his final two years there — but he had some off-field legal issues and shoulder injuries in college. He then tore the ACL in his left knee as a rookie in 2017 but has now put together four straight 1,000-yard seasons. When healthy, he has been among the game’s best backs. -Miller
Brian O'Neill
When: 2018 second-round pick (62nd overall)
Rank: 49th
The selection of O’Neill was widely criticized as a panic move, as there was a massive offensive line run before his selection. The Vikings and O’Neill got the last laugh, as he has consistently been one of the best RTs in football in his career.
O’Neill was a work in progress coming out of Pitt with good foot speed but poor play power and lower-body technique. The Vikings gave him the tools to develop, and he has emerged as one of the top right tackles in the league since becoming a starter midway through his rookie season. -Miller
