The Vikings are scheduled to make eight selections in the 2017 NFL Draft, including five in the first 129 picks later this month.
Minnesota is scheduled to select from the 48th, 79th, 86th, 120th, 128th, 160th, 199th and 232nd spots. The first round of the draft, which will be hosted by Philadelphia this year, will be Thursday, April 27. The second and third rounds are set for April 28, and rounds four through seven are slotted for April 29.
Last week, we took a look at the ****selections that the Vikings have made**** from those spots. Now, we'll take a look at the past five players selected from each of those spots, as well as the three players picked before and after those spots in 2016. Lastly, we'll have a quick recap of notable players whose names have been called at the spots since 1961 with help from pro-football-reference.com.
We'll start this series of posts with a look at pick No. 48, a group that is headlined by Hall of Famers Howie Long (1981) and Dwight Stephenson (1980) and more recently by 2013 selection Le'Veon Bell.
Past Five Players Selected at 48
2016: Packers — T Jason Spriggs, Indiana (16 games, two starts)
2015: Chargers — ILB Denzel Perryman, Clemson (26 games, 20 starts, 4.0 sacks, one interception)
2014: Ravens — DT Timmy Jernigan, Florida State (26 starts in 43 games; 13 sacks, three passes defended)
2013: Steelers — RB Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State (908 rushes for 4,045 yards and 26 touchdowns; 227 receptions for 2,005 yards and five scores in 47 games)
2012: Patriots — DB Tavon Wilson, Illinois (four starts and five interceptions in 54 games with Patriots; started 14 of 15 games and had two picks with Lions in 2016)
3 Before, 3 After in 2016
- Titans — RB Derrick Henry, Alabama (110 carries for 490 yards and five touchdowns)
- Lions — DT A'Shawn Robinson, Alabama (started five games and played all 16; 2.0 sacks)
- Saints — WR Michael Thomas, Ohio State (92 catches for 1,137 yards and nine touchdowns in 15 games)
- Seahawks — DT Jarran Reed, Alabama (started five of the 15 games he played; 1.5 sacks)
- Texans — G Nick Martin, Notre Dame (did not play in 2016)
- Jets — QB Christian Hackenberg, Penn State (did not play in 2016)
Vikings/others of interest at 48
2011: Raiders — C Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State (started all 61 games with Raiders; all 16 with Jaguars in 2015 and six of 16 with Eagles in 2016)
2008: Redskins — TE Fred Davis, Southern Cal (162 catches for 2,043 yards and 13 touchdowns in 72 games)
2006: Vikings — DB Cedric Griffin, Texas (recorded eight interceptions and defended 50 passes in 80 games — 70 starts — with the Vikings)
2004: Vikings — LB Dontarrious Thomas, Auburn (started 10 of 63 games with the Vikings, recording 1.5 sacks and defending two passes)
2001: Patriots — T Matt Light, Purdue (started 153 of 155 games with Patriots, part of three Super Bowl winners, three-time Pro Bowler)
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| T Matt Light, New England Patriots, 2001 |
1998: Redskins — TE Stephen Alexander, Oklahoma (totaled 247 catches for 2,519 yards and 14 touchdowns; started 99 of 118 games played with Washington, San Diego, Detroit and Denver)
1995: Colts — TE Ken Dilger, Illinois (caught 356 passes for 4,099 yards and 24 touchdowns in starting 150 of 156 games with the Colts and Buccaneers; selected to one Pro Bowl)
1994: Bills — DB Bucky Brooks, North Carolina (listed here more so because of his work as an NFL Media analyst, Brooks spent time with five different teams from 1994-98)
1990: Packers — DB LeRoy Butler, Florida State (totaled 38 interceptions and garnered four selections to Pro Bowl in starting 165 of 181 games in 12 seasons)
1981: Raiders — DE Howie Long, Villanova HOF (totaled 84 sacks and eight selections to Pro Bowl in starting 151 of 179 games in 13 seasons)
1980: Dolphins — C Dwight Stephenson, Alabama HOF (selected to five straight Pro Bowls; started 87 of 114 games)
1978: Vikings — DB John Turner, Miami (started 70 of 101 games with the Vikings, recording 22 interceptions and recovering four fumbles)
1976: Oilers — TE Mike Barber, Louisiana Tech (totaled 2,788 yards and 17 touchdowns on 222 catches in six seasons with Houston, three-plus with the Rams and part of a season with Denver)
1975: Chargers — DE Leroy Jones, Norfolk State (started 90 of 111 games)
1972: Colts — RB Lydell Mitchell, Penn State (three-time Pro Bowler; totaled 6,534 yards and 30 touchdowns on 1,675 carries in six seasons with the Colts, two with the Chargers and one with the Rams)
1971: Lions — DB Charlie Weaver, Southern Cal (15 interceptions; 104 starts in 142 games with Detroit; five games with Washington)
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| *DB Charlie Weaver, Detriot Lions, 1971 * |
1969: Chiefs — RB Ed Podolak, Iowa (4,451 yards and 34 touchdowns on 1,157 carries; 2,456 yards and six scores on 288 catches; 65 starts in 104 games)
1968: Chiefs — QB Mike Livingston, SMU (went 6-0 as a starter in 1969; 31-43-1 in 75 career starts; 912 completions, 1,751 attempts, 11,295 yards, 56 touchdowns, 83 interceptions, passer rating of 63.3)
1967: Chargers — Bob Howard, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo/San Diego State (37 interceptions; 120 starts in 169 games with San Diego, New England and Philadelphia)
1964: Lions — LB Wally Hilgenberg, Iowa (Vikings 1968-79, participated in all four of Minnesota's Super Bowls)
1961: Bears — DT Ernie Ladd, Grambling State (opted to play for Chargers, who drafted him 119th overall in the AFL Draft, three-time All-Pro)
