Four Vikings Draft Picks Listed Among Top 50 Steals of Last Decade

Former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman deserves some credit for his ability to find star-caliber players outside of the first round during his Minnesota tenure. His track record in round one ranged from home runs (Harrison Smith, Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw) to huge whiffs (Laquon Treadwell, Mike Hughes, Jeff Gladney), but Spielman often found impact additions after a draft's first night.

ESPN's Matt Miller and Jordan Reid ranked the top 50 draft steals of the last decade (2013-2022), and four of Spielman's picks made the list. All players selected in the second through seventh rounds of those ten drafts were eligible.

No. 7 Stefon Diggs

Drafted: 5th round, No. 146 overall, 2015

Diggs came to Maryland as a highly touted recruit, but he struggled to break out as a Terrapin and battled injuries that pushed him down to Round 5 in the 2015 draft. But first with the Vikings and now with the Bills, Diggs has been that promising player as a pro. An explosive, dynamic threat with the ball in his hands, Diggs is an All-Pro-caliber receiver and a true WR1. He has never had fewer than 720 receiving yards in a season, is coming off his fifth-straight 1,000-yard campaign and led the NFL with 1,535 yards in 2020.

Diggs is one of the best Day 3 draft picks in Vikings history. He had some solid years in Minnesota, and even though he forced his way out and blossomed after leaving, trading him resulted in the Jefferson pick. That worked out alright.

No. 30: Danielle Hunter

Drafted: 3rd round, No. 88 overall, 2015

Hunter had just 4.5 total sacks during his three-year LSU career, as his production did not match his high-level traits. But things clicked in the pros, as he became the youngest player in NFL history to record 50 sacks. Hunter is a menace off of the edge and is considered a top-10 player at the position.

Top to bottom, Spielman's best draft with the Vikings came in 2015. First-rounder Trae Waynes was meh, but Eric Kendricks in the second, Hunter in the third, and Diggs in the fifth is a remarkable haul. Hunter has had a fantastic career despite some recent injuries. We're still waiting to see if he'll play in Minnesota this season.

No. 35: Dalvin Cook

Drafted: 2nd round, No. 41 overall, 2017

There was no doubting Cook's talent coming out of Florida State — he averaged north of 1,700 rushing yards over his final two years there — but he had some off-field legal issues and shoulder injuries in college. He then tore the ACL in his left knee as a rookie in 2017 but has now put together four straight 1,000-yard seasons. When healthy, he has been among the game's best backs.

The Vikings took a chance on Cook's red flags and it worked out wonderfully, which was big because they didn't have a first-round pick in 2017. They released Cook this offseason and you can argue that Spielman should've never signed him to a huge second contract, but the four-time Pro Bowler had some amazing seasons in Minnesota.

No. 49: Brian O'Neill

Drafted: 2nd round, No. 62 overall, 2018

O'Neill was a work in progress coming out of Pitt with good foot speed but poor play power and lower-body technique. The Vikings gave him the tools to develop, and he has emerged as one of the top right tackles in the league since becoming a starter midway through his rookie season.

O'Neill is everything the Vikings hoped he'd become when they took him in the second round five years ago. He's the definition of steady and reliable at right tackle. This was a great pick that slightly made up for taking Hughes in the first round.

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