# List of Minnesota Vikings first-round draft picks

The Minnesota Vikings joined the National Football League (NFL) in the 1961 season. The Vikings first draft selection as an NFL team was Tommy Mason, a running back from the Tulane Green Wave. The team's most recent first round selection is J.J. McCarthy, a quarterback from the Michigan Wolverines.
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 selected Ron Yary, an offensive tackle from the USC Trojans. The Vikings have used first-round selections on players from USC six times. The Vikings have drafted 11 defensive ends, the most common position drafted by the franchise. Six eventual Pro Football Hall of Famers have been selected by the Vikings in the first round: DE Carl Eller, DT Alan Page, DE Chris Doleman, G Randall McDaniel, OT Ron Yary and WR Randy Moss.

## Key

Positions key :
| C | Center | CB | Cornerback | DB | Defensive back | DE | Defensive end |
| DL | Defensive lineman | DT | Defensive tackle | FB | Fullback | FS | Free safety |
| G | Guard | K | Kicker | KR | Kickoff returner | LB | Linebacker |
| LS | Long snapper | MLB | Middle linebacker | OT | Offensive tackle | OL | Offensive lineman |
| OLB | Outside linebacker | NT | Nose tackle | P | Punter | PR | Punt returner |
| QB | Quarterback | RS | Return specialist | RB | Running back | S | Safety |
| SS | Strong safety | TE | Tight end | WR | Wide receiver |
* 1 2 May sometimes be referred to as an edge rusher (EDGE)
* ↑ Also known as offensive guard (OG)
* ↑ Also known as placekicker (PK)
* ↑ Also known as inside linebacker (ILB)
Key :
| ^ | Indicates the player was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. | Indicates the player was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. | Indicates the player was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. | Indicates the player was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. | Indicates the player was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. |
| § | Enshrined in the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor | Enshrined in the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor | Enshrined in the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor | Enshrined in the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor | Enshrined in the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor |
| † | Indicates the player was selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career. | Indicates the player was selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career. | Indicates the player was selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career. | Indicates the player was selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career. | Indicates the player was selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career. |
| * | Selected number one overall | Selected number one overall | Selected number one overall | Selected number one overall | Selected number one overall |
| — | The Vikings did not draft a player in the first round that year. | The Vikings did not draft a player in the first round that year. | The Vikings did not draft a player in the first round that year. | The Vikings did not draft a player in the first round that year. | The Vikings did not draft a player in the first round that year. |
| Year | Each year links to an article about that particular NFL Draft. | Each year links to an article about that particular NFL Draft. | Each year links to an article about that particular NFL Draft. | Each year links to an article about that particular NFL Draft. | Each year links to an article about that particular NFL Draft. |
| Pick | Indicates the number of the pick within the first round | Indicates the number of the pick within the first round | Indicates the number of the pick within the first round | Indicates the number of the pick within the first round | Indicates the number of the pick within the first round |
| Position | The player's position | The player's position | The player's position | The player's position | The player's position |
| College | The player's college football team | The player's college football team | The player's college football team | The player's college football team | The player's college football team |

## Player selections

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

### By college

| College | Draftees |
| USC | 6 |
| Michigan State | 4 |
| Notre Dame | 3 |
| Oklahoma State | 3 |
| Ohio State | 3 |
| Florida State | 3 |
| NC State | 3 |
| Stanford | 2 |
| Miami (FL) | 2 |
| UCLA | 2 |
| Pittsburgh | 2 |
| California | 2 |
| Wisconsin | 2 |
| Florida | 2 |
| Ole Miss | 2 |
| UCF | 2 |
| TCU | 2 |
| Alabama | 2 |
| 23 colleges | 1 |

### By position

| Position | Draftees |
| Defensive end | 11 |
| Running back | 10 |
| Cornerback | 9 |
| Wide receiver | 9 |
| Offensive tackle | 8 |
| Defensive tackle | 7 |
| Linebacker | 7 |
| Quarterback | 5 |
| Guard | 1 |
| Center | 1 |

## Footnotes

* ↑ 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.
* ↑ Jim Dunaway opted to sign with the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League (AFL).
* ↑ The Vikings traded Snow to the Los Angeles Rams before the start of the 1965 NFL season.
* 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 QB Fran Tarkenton.
* ↑ The 15th pick in 1967 was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams.
* ↑ The Vikings first-round pick in 1969 was acquired by the New Orleans Saints.
* ↑ The Vikings traded QB Joe Kapp to the Boston Patriots in 1970 in exchange for the 10th overall pick in 1972.
* ↑ The Vikings traded QB Bob Lee and LB Lonnie Warwick to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for QB Bob Berry and the 17th overall pick.
* ↑ The Vikings traded their first-round pick (18th overall) to the Baltimore Colts in exchange for two second-round and a fifth-round draft picks.
* ↑ 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 selected Allanda Smith who had already signed the Los Angeles Express of the USFL.
* ↑ The Vikings traded their second overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for the fourth overall pick and a third-round pick (60th overall).
* ↑ The Vikings traded their eighth overall and 67th overall (third-round) to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for the 14th and 44th (second-round) overall picks.
* ↑ The Vikings traded their 16th overall and a fifth-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the Dolphins' 14th overall pick.
* ↑ The Vikings 24th overall pick was acquired by the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for LB Mike Merriweather .
* 1 2 3 These picks were involved in the Herschel Walker trade on October 12, 1989.
* ↑ The Vikings traded OT 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.
* ↑ The Vikings traded DE 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.
* ↑ The Vikings traded QB 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.
* ↑ While attempting to agree a trade, the Vikings time elapsed, allowing the Jacksonville Jaguars to move up and select QB Byron Leftwich. The Carolina Panthers were also able to select OT Jordan Gross before the Vikings ultimately made their selection.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ The Vikings traded wide receiver Randy Moss to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the Raiders' LB Napoleon Harris and the seventh and 219th (seventh-round) overall picks.
* ↑ The Vikings traded their 17th overall pick (first-round), the 73rd and 82nd overall picks (third-round), and 182nd overall pick (sixth-round) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for DE Jared Allen.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ The Vikings traded WR 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.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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).
* ↑ 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 QB Sam Bradford.
* ↑ The Vikings traded a seventh-round selection (239th overall) and WR Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for Buffalo's first-, fifth- and sixth-round selections (22nd, 155th and 201st overall) and 2021 fourth-round selection.
* ↑ The Vikings traded their original first-round selection (25th overall) to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for San Francisco's first-, fourth- and fifth-round selections (31st, 117th and 176th overall).
* ↑ The Vikings traded their original first- and a fourth-round selection (14th and 143rd overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for the first-round selection the Jets received from the Seattle Seahawks (23rd overall) and two third-round selections (66th and 86th overall).
* ↑ The Vikings traded their original first- and a second-round selection (12th and 46th overall) to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Detroit's first-, second- and third-round selections (32nd, 34th and 66th overall).
* ↑ The Vikings traded their original first-, and fourth- and fifth-round selections to the Houston Texans in exchange for a first-round selection (10th overall) and a sixth-round selection (203rd overall).
* ↑ The Vikings traded second- and sixth-round selections (42nd and 188th overall), and a 2025 second-round selection to the Houston Texans in exchange for first- and seventh-round selection (23rd and 232nd overall).
* ↑ The Vikings traded the first-round selection they received from the Houston Texans (23rd overall), a fifth-round selection (167th overall), a 2025 third-round selection and a 2025 fourth-round selection to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a first-round selection (17th overall).
* ↑ "Hall of Famers by Franchise - Hall of Famers - Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2018.