Ranking Vikings’ first-round picks in Rick Spielman era
Hits and misses in the first round of the draft can resurrect or sink a franchise. Over the past 12 seasons, the Vikings have had one guy primarily making those decisions on NFL draft night — Rick Spielman.
The Vikings switched to a traditional front office in 2012 and promoted Spielman from vice president of player personnel, a role he’d held since 2006, to general manager — the franchise’s first true GM since Mike Lynn in 1980s.
But even as VP of player personnel, Spielman was the face of the Vikings’ war room.
Out of the 12 drafts he’s led, Spielman has selected 13 different players — seven on offense, six on defense – in the first round. The Vikings didn’t have a first-rounder in three of the 12 drafts. Spielman swapped the Vikings’ first-round picks in 2008 and ‘17 in trades for defensive end Jared Allen and quarterback Sam Bradford, and the GM opted to trade out of the first round in 2010. He also acquired three additional first-rounders in trades, twice dealing back up into the round during the draft.
Before Spielman makes a big decision at No. 18 overall Thursday night, FOX Sports North ranks all 13 of his previous first-round selections:
