With the first of their two first-round selections in the NFL draft on Thursday night, the Vikings used the biggest prize they acquired in the Stefon Diggs trade to select his replacement.
They selected LSU receiver Justin Jefferson with the 22nd overall pick, adding a receiver many expected to be gone by the time the Vikings were on the clock. The 6-foot-1 receiver could line up in a number of different spots in Minnesota, and will give Kirk Cousins another weapon in 2020.
Jefferson had 111 catches for the national champions, tying for the FBS lead. He had 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns.
His teammate, quarterback Joe Burrow, was the No. 1 overall pick to Cincinnati.
The draft _ conducted with team executives in their own homes across the country and Commissioner Roger Goodell announcing picks from his basement in New York _ went without a trade in the first 12 picks, before the Buccaneers moved up one spot to No. 13 overall and selected Tristan Wirfs. The Iowa product became the fourth tackle selected in the first 13 picks, with the Vikings nine picks away from potentially selecting a lineman at No. 22 overall. USC's Austin Jackson was the fifth lineman taken by the Dolphins at No. 18.
The second 10 picks of the draft also saw a run on receivers, as Alabama's Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy went before Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb. And after the Jaguars took Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson ninth overall, the Falcons selected Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell 16th overall, taking another player off the board that might have been a fit in Minnesota had he lasted until the 22nd overall pick.
According to an NFL source, the team had talked with the Raiders about moving up from No. 22 to the 19th pick, but Las Vegas was asking for the Vikings' second-rounder (No. 58 overall) to complete the deal.
The Lions were the only NFC North team to make a pick in the first 20 choices, selecting Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah third overall.
The Vikings also had the 25th pick later in the first round.
