Minnesota Vikings: 15 best first-round draft picks of all time
By Adam Carlson
The Vikings chose Randall McDaniel with the No. 19 overall pick in the 1988 NFL Draft out of Arizona State and ended up getting one of the best interior offensive linemen ever to play professional football.
With a background in track and field, McDaniel had an amazing amount of athleticism for a lineman. His ability to get down the field quickly to make extra blocks at the next level made him a huge asset in the run game and his ability to protect the quarterback made him one of the most versatile guards ever to suit up.
McDaniel spent 12 seasons in Minnesota before he was released in a move to save money against the salary cap. He then signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playing for two seasons there before signing a one-day contract to retire a member of the Vikings.
Accolades of McDaniel’s include 12 Pro Bowl appearances, nine All-Pro First-Team nods, 11-time All-NFC, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, and joining the Vikings Ring of Honor. But the biggest honor of his career had to be entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2013.
– AC