EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Vikings capped their efforts in the 2017 NFL Draft by selecting defensive back Jack Tocho (pronounced TOE-choe) in the seventh round with the 245th pick.
Tocho was the ninth selection by Minnesota on Saturday, the fourth selection in the seventh round and the 11th player drafted by the Vikings this year.
He is the 103rd defensive back selected by Minnesota in franchise history, the most of any position group. The Vikings have now selected at least one cornerback in 11 of the past 12 drafts.
Tocho started 36 of the 49 games he played, totaling 122 tackles (98 solo), 26 pass breakups and six interceptions.
After earning his accounting degree in three years, Tocho served as a team captain in 2016. He tallied nine tackles against Clemson and ranked second in the ACC with nine pass breakups on the season.
He was a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's William Campbell Trophy, which is award to the sports top student athlete and a two-time Academic All-ACC designee.
Tocho also won multiple team awards including the Bob Warren Award (integrity and sportsmanship) twice, the Dewayne Washington Award for Defensive Back of the Year (2014) and the Philip Rivers Award for Most Valuable Freshman.
The Wolfpack cornerback was invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game but played on the East squad that was coached by Arizona's Brentson Buckner instead of the West team that was led by Vikings Defensive Coordinator George Edwards.
Tocho is the son of Kenya immigrants and he has traveled to Africa multiple times. Another seventh round pick, Ifeadi Odenigbo, is the son of Nigerian immigrants.
