The NFL Draft is the heartbeat of a successful franchise. It offers teams a unique combination of youth, untapped potential, and cost-effective contracts. When a franchise nails multiple picks in a short span, it can open a realistic window to contend for a championship. While the Minnesota Vikings haven’t yet captured that elusive Super Bowl, their drafting over the past 25 years has consistently brought in top-tier talent, fueling memorable campaigns such as the 2009 and 2015 seasons—both products of smart drafting across multiple years.
With the 2025 NFL Draft just around the corner, let’s revisit the Vikings’ 11 best draft picks since 2000.
11. Dalvin Cook – 2nd Round, 41st Overall, 2017
Cook joined a proud legacy of standout Vikings running backs. Though injuries plagued his first two seasons—including an ACL tear as a rookie—he erupted in 2019 with 1,654 yards from scrimmage, earning his first Pro Bowl and the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award. He made four straight Pro Bowls, totaling 7,787 yards and 52 touchdowns over six seasons.
10. Brian O’Neill – 2nd Round, 62nd Overall, 2018
Viewed initially as a developmental project, the former tight end was thrust into the starting lineup in Week 5 of his rookie season and never looked back. A staple at right tackle, O’Neill became a two-time Pro Bowler (2021, 2024), proving to be one of the team’s most reliable offensive linemen.
9. Eric Kendricks – 2nd Round, 45th Overall, 2015
Kendricks quickly made an impact, earning a starting role by Week 4 of his rookie year and tallying four sacks in three weeks. Over 113 starts, he amassed 21.5 sacks, nine interceptions, and three defensive touchdowns. His standout year came in 2019 when he was named First-Team All-Pro and made his only Pro Bowl.
8. Everson Griffen – 4th Round, 100th Overall, 2010
Griffen’s draft stock fell due to off-field issues, and his early NFL years were rocky. But the Vikings saw his potential and stuck with him. By 2014, he had emerged as a force on the defensive line, registering 12 sacks that season. Griffen earned four Pro Bowl nods, played 156 games, and finished with 79.5 sacks and two defensive touchdowns.
7. Stefon Diggs – 5th Round, 146th Overall, 2015
Though Diggs never made a Pro Bowl in Minnesota, he delivered back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and etched his name into Vikings history with the unforgettable “Minneapolis Miracle” in the 2017 playoffs. In five seasons, he tallied over 4,600 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns.
6. Danielle Hunter – 3rd Round, 88th Overall, 2015
Hunter was seen as a raw prospect coming out of LSU, but he made an immediate impact. Despite not becoming a full-time starter until Year 3, he recorded 18.5 sacks in his first two seasons. A four-time Pro Bowler, Hunter became one of the NFL’s most feared pass rushers.
5. Chad Greenway – 1st Round, 17th Overall, 2006
The only player on this list to spend his entire career with Minnesota, Greenway missed his rookie season due to injury but became a durable and dependable linebacker. He didn’t miss a game from 2007 to 2014 and was a defensive leader during his tenure, finishing with 18 sacks and 11 interceptions over 156 games.
4. Justin Jefferson – 1st Round, 22nd Overall, 2020
Jefferson has already built a résumé worthy of a spot higher on this list. After a quiet start to his rookie year, he burst onto the scene with a 71-yard touchdown in Week 3 and hasn’t looked back. With 495 receptions for 7,432 yards and 40 touchdowns in just 77 games, the two-time All-Pro and 2022 Offensive Player of the Year is already one of the league’s premier wide receivers.
3. Harrison Smith – 1st Round, 29th Overall, 2012
Nicknamed “The Hitman,” Smith became a starter from day one and quickly showed a knack for game-changing plays. Under coach Mike Zimmer, he evolved into a versatile weapon on defense, making six Pro Bowls and a First-Team All-Pro in 2017. He’s totaled 37 interceptions, 20.5 sacks, and four defensive touchdowns across 192 games.
2. Kevin Williams – 1st Round, 9th Overall, 2003
Drafted in a confusing and infamous draft-day slip-up, Williams turned out to be one of the league’s most dominant interior linemen. He notched 10.5 sacks as a rookie and became a five-time First-Team All-Pro. A disruptive presence in both the pass and run game, Williams compiled 60 sacks and five interceptions, including two pick-sixes. His Hall of Fame-worthy career remains underappreciated.
1. Adrian Peterson – 1st Round, 7th Overall, 2007
This was the easiest pick of all. Despite already having a productive back in Chester Taylor, the Vikings couldn’t pass on Peterson’s generational talent. He made an immediate impact, breaking the single-game rushing record as a rookie and leading the NFL in rushing in just his second year.
Peterson’s defining moment came in 2012, less than nine months after ACL surgery, when he nearly broke Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record—falling just eight yards short with 2,097. That season, he won NFL MVP and carried the Vikings to the playoffs. In 123 games, he rushed for 11,747 yards and 97 touchdowns. He’s a future Hall of Famer, eligible in 2027.
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