The NFL draft is known as a crap shoot. You can find a hall of fame player just about anywhere but being able to identify them is the biggest challenge. Some teams can find great talent anywhere while others struggle to find good players in round one where it’s the easiest to identify those talents.
The Minnesota Vikings are no strangers to inconsistencies in the NFL draft and you can look at their history at pick 11 for just that. In their history, they have selected three times at the 11th overall pick, all of which have happened since 1995.
Who have the Vikings selected at 11th overall? Lets take a look.
1995: DE Derrick Alexander
The Vikings selected Alexander in 1995 after Chris Doleman left in free agency before coming back in 1997. He only played five years in the league and never quite lived up to the billing out of Florida State. He had his best year in his last with the Vikings in 1998 with 7.5 sacks and finished his career with the Cleveland Browns in 1999.
1999: QB Daunte Culpepper
The Vikings selected Culpepper as the fourth quarterback off the board in the historic 1999 NFL draft with a pick they got from the Washington Commanders in the Brad Johnson trade. Culpepper left Central Florida with a big arm and the most accurate passer in NCAA history. He sat in 1999 before starting for the Vikings over the next five seasons. He started 80 games, completing 64.4% of his passes for 20,162 yards, 135 touchdowns and 86 interceptions along with 2,476 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns. If Culpepper would have played in today’s game, he could have been incredible.
2015: CB Trae Waynes
When the Vikings drafted Waynes in 2015, he seemed to be a perfect fit as he was hand-picked by Mike Zimmer. Waynes had the size and length to pair with 4.33 speed but he never quite lived up to his potential. He lasted five seasons with the Vikings, intercepting seven passes before the Cincinnati Bengals overpaid him in the 2020 offseason.
