The Viking Age
FanSided

10 worst Vikings draft picks during the Rick Spielman era

By Adam Patrick

Dec 10, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh (3) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Vikings 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh (3) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Vikings 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 10, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh (3) reacts after missing a field goal attempt against the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter of a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh (3) reacts after missing a field goal attempt against the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter of a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Blair Walsh, K

Sixth round, 175th overall

(2012)

Selecting a kicker is not normally how most teams opt to use their draft picks each year. In the past three drafts, only three kickers have been selected.

Two of those three did not even play in an NFL game during the 2016 season.

Even though drafting a kicker is not something of the norm, Minnesota still decided to use a sixth-round pick on Georgia kicker Blair Walsh in 2012. Walsh was coming off a senior season at Georgia in which he missed a total of 14 of his 35 field goal attempts.

Oddly enough, the risk the Vikings took on drafting the kicker seemed worth it after just one year. During his rookie season, Walsh made all 36 of his extra point attempts and 35 of his 38 field goal attempts (including 10 of 50 yards or more).

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His success in 2012 earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl and on the All-Pro first team.

The following season in 2013 was not as great as his first, but he still performed well. 2014 was the year that seemed to be the beginning of Walsh’s career trending downward. From 2014 to 2016, the kicker missed a total of 18 field goal attempts and eight extra point attempts.

His miss on a 27-yard field goal attempt during Minnesota’s 2015 playoff game against the Seahawks will go down as one of the worst moments in the history of the Vikings franchise. A moment that Walsh was never able to fully recover from.

Notable players drafted after Walsh:

Danny Trevathan (Den), J.R. Sweezy (Sea), Rishard Matthews (Mia)

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