Since 2012, the Vikings have had the same general manager: Rick Spielman.
In fact, Spielman was hired by the Vikings in 2006 as vice president of player personnel and later became the first true general manager for the team since the 1980’s, per NFL.com. With Minnesota, Spielman and Co. have become well known for their ability to find valuable players in the NFL Draft.
Hopefully for the Vikings, the 2020 draft will be no different. The team had 15 total draft picks, a record for a seven-round NFL Draft. They will probably need at least some of those picks to produce and become starters in order to progress next season.
Spielman and the Vikings have found value both in the early rounds and with some of the last picks in the NFL Draft. Here are his greatest hits, in terms of Career Approximate Value, as determined by Pro Football Reference.
Pro Football Reference’s Career Approximate Value stat isn’t perfect, but it’s at least OK for telling which players have been solid picks for the Vikings.
TE Kyle Rudolph, second round, 2011
Rudolph has been a beacon of consistency during his time with the Vikings.
He has started all 16 regular season games for five consecutive seasons. The tight end needs just four touchdown receptions to pass Sammy White for fourth all-time in that stat in Vikings history, and six to pass Anthony Carter for third in team history.
He was recently named Minnesota’s most underrated player by Sports Illustrated.
Career Approximate Value: 32
G Brandon Fusco, sixth round, 2011
The Vikings got pretty good value for Fusco. Despite being a late-round pick, Fusco ended up starting at least 14 games for the Vikings in four separate seasons. He also started every regular season game for the 49ers in 2017.
Career Approximate Value: 34
WR Stefon Diggs, fifth round, 2015
While Diggs may be a complicated figure among Vikings fans, he will also be remembered for his effectiveness in route running and overall receiving ability.
He was decent almost right away for the Vikings. He tallied 720 yards as a rookie — not eye-popping numbers, but not bad, either. The next season he had 903 yards and 849 after that.
These past two seasons, Diggs has tallied at least 1,000 receiving yards and six or more touchdown receptions.
Asked about his frustrations with Minnesota’s offense after a 2019 loss to the Bears and whether he wanted to be traded, Diggs said “there’s truth to all rumors,” per NFL.com.
He also fired off some cryptic tweets before the Vikings traded him this offseason. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Diggs ambiguously tweeting actually triggered the trade.
Despite that, he shined for the Vikings, and fans will always have the Minneapolis Miracle.
Career Approximate Value: 40
CB Xavier Rhodes, first round, 2013
Rhodes quickly lived up to the hype of his high draft pick. As a rookie he tallied 10 pass deflections in just six starts.
Rhodes broke out and became a Pro Bowler in 2016. The next year, he shut down wideouts such as Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans and Michael Thomas en route to another Pro Bowl, and a first-team All-Pro selection.
He didn’t finish strong with the Vikings, but now he has a chance to put together a resurgent season with the Colts.
Career Approximate Value: 41
LB Eric Kendricks, second round, 2015
Kendricks isn’t the kind of linebacker who records a lot of sacks. However, Kendricks has cut out a role for himself on the Vikings defense, doing so by dropping back into coverage and providing value that way.
Pro Football Focus named Kendricks the Vikings’ most-improved player for 2019.
PFF gave Kendricks a 90 rating when it came to pass coverage as a linebacker. He will probably need to put up similar production in 2020, in order for the new-look secondary to find success.
Career Approximate Value: 41
OT Matt Kalil, first round, 2012
Kalil was a player who is considered by many to be an NFL bust.
After he was drafted in the first round by the Vikings, he had a promising rookie year where he suffered an injury late in the season. After that, he seemed to have dropped off in his play.
He attributed a poor 2017 to a hip injury he suffered in 2016, according to Bring Me The News. Carolina deciding to sign Kalil after his time with the Vikings was later called a “disastrous investment” by ESPN.
Overall, an interesting choice to have on here, given much of the narrative surrounding Kalil’s career. Honestly, I’m not really sure about why Kalil is so high up Pro Football Reference’s list.
Career Approximate Value: 42
DE Danielle Hunter, third round, 2015
Hunter worked his way up the depth chart and is now considered to be one of the best young pass rushers in the NFL.
He tallied 14.5 sacks in two consecutive seasons. Hunter, 25, became the youngest NFL player to get to 50 sacks for his career in 2019.
More might be asked of him in 2020, but so far he has thrived on the Minnesota defense.
Career Approximate Value: 42
LB Anthony Barr, first round, 2014
Barr was drafted ninth overall by the Vikings. He has become a polarizing figure for his play during his time in Minnesota.
Some think that he’s a stellar player in coverage who doesn’t get enough credit because his stats aren’t always high. On the other hand, Barr signed a big deal and was a high draft pick, so some people think he hasn’t lived up to his value.
Pro Football Focus recently named him to its one-year wonder team. Pro Football Reference, however, feels differently about Barr’s level of play.
Career Approximate Value: 47
S Harrison Smith, first round, 2012
Smith made an instant impact for the Vikings after getting drafted at No. 29 overall.
He had a sack, three interceptions and two defensive touchdowns as a rookie. Since then, he has become a player known for creating pressure on blitzes and being effective in coverage back deep.
It’s 2020, and Smith will still probably have to be a vital part of the Vikings’ defense once again.
Career Approximate Value: 56
DE Everson Griffen, fourth round, 2010
Griffen, a defensive end out of USC, didn’t make a huge impact on the field until 2012. That’s when he started to find success down the stretch of that year, finishing with eight sacks in total.
From there, Griffen got better, tallying double-digit sack totals three different times as a Vikings player.
He announced this offseason that he was leaving Minnesota, but has yet to sign elsewhere. Regardless of where he goes this offseason, he should be remembered fondly by many Vikings fans.
Career Approximate Value: 61
