Minnesota Vikings: 15 best first-round draft picks of all time
By Adam Carlson
Selected by Minnesota with the No. 4 overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh, Chris Doleman started off as a tackling machine. During his rookie campaign, he had 113 combined tackles. But he also only registered 0.5 sacks in 13 starts.
It didn’t take long for the sacks to start flowing though. He registered double-digit sack numbers five times in his career with the Vikings, notching 21 quarterback takedowns during the 1989 season, which lead the league.
Over the course of his 15-year NFL career, Doleman had some impressive numbers, finishing with 975 combined tackles, 150.5 sacks, 44 forced fumbles, 24 fumble recoveries, eight interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.
Doleman’s accolades speak for themselves. Eight Pro Bowls, five All-Pro appearances, the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and the Vikings Ring of Honor are all great achievements, but nothing compares to when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
– AC