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.
This grouping includes Evan Mathis (selected in 2005) and William Andrews (1979), who have multiple selections to the Pro Bowl on their resumes. Oddly, three Oregon State players have been selected in this spot in the past five drafts.
Past Five Players Selected at 79
2016: Eagles — G Isaac Seumalo, Oregon State (started four of nine games as a rookie)
2015: 49ers — OLB Eli Harold, Virginia (3.0 sacks, has started 14 of 32 games, including 13 of 16 in 2016)
2014: Ravens — DB Terrence Brooks, Florida State (one interception, four passes defended in 23 games with Ravens and 11 with Eagles)
2013: Steelers — WR Markus Wheaton, Oregon State (joined Bears this offseason after catching 107 passes for 1,508 yards and eight scores in Pittsburgh)
2012: Bears — S Brandon Hardin, Oregon State (did not play in a game with the Bears or Jets)
3 Before, 3 After in 2016
- Browns — T Shon Coleman, Auburn (played in six games)
- Panthers — CB Daryl Worley, West Virginia (started 11 of 16 games played; one interception, nine passes defended)
- Patriots — G Joe Thuney, North Carolina State (started all 16 regular-season games and all three postseason contests)
- Bills — DT Adolphus Washington, Ohio State (started 11 of 15 games; 2.5 sacks)
- Falcons — TE Austin Hooper, Stanford (caught 19 passes for 271 yards and three scores; had six catches for 65 yards, including a touchdown in the Super Bowl)
- Colts — T Le'Raven Clark, Texas Tech (started three of eight games)
Vikings/others of interest at 79
2011: Redskins — WR Leonard Hankerson, Miami (107 catches, 1,408 yards, nine touchdowns)
2010: Chargers — LB Donald Butler, Washington (three interceptions; started 62 of 71 games with Chargers and five of 14 played with Dolphins in 2016)
2009: Steelers — OL Kraig Urbik (joined Bills in 2010 and started 57 of 84 games in Buffalo; started six of 16 for Miami in 2016)
2005: Panthers — G Evan Mathis, Alabama (started 93 of 134 games played with Panthers, Dolphins, Bengals, Eagles, Broncos and Cardinals; two-time Pro Bowler)
1995: Colts — FB Zack Crockett, Florida State (flourished in eight seasons in Oakland, where he rushed 380 times for 1,232 yards and 35 of his 36 career touchdowns from 1999-2006)
1993: Vikings — DT Gilbert Brown, Kansas (waived before the season and landed with Green Bay, where he started 103 of 125 games and totaled 7.0 sacks in 10 seasons)
 |
| G Evan Mathis, Carolina Panthers, 2005 |
1991: Oilers — G Kevin Donnalley, North Carolina (started 144 of 193 games played for the Oilers, Dolphins and Panthers)
1979: Falcons — RB William Andrews, Auburn (totaled 5,986 yards and 30 touchdowns on 1,315 carries; named to four Pro Bowls; led NFL with 2,036 scrimmage yards in 1981)
1977: Rams — RB Wendell Tyler, UCLA (totaled 6,378 yards and 50 touchdowns on 1,344 carries in six years with Rams and four with 49ers; fumbled 64 times)
1976: Chiefs — WR Henry Marshall, Missouri (416 receptions, 6,545 yards, 33 touchdowns; started 135 of 165 games with Kansas City)
1973: Oilers — LB Gregg Bingham, Purdue (21 interceptions, 5.0 sacks; started all 173 games played)
1971: Broncos — DE Lyle Alzado, Yankton (two-time Pro Bowler who started 195 of the 196 games he played; later admitted and regretted steroid use)
1965: Vikings — RB Jim Grisham, Oklahoma (did not play for the Vikings or Oilers, who drafted him in the 17th round of the 1965 AFL Draft)
