Minnesota Vikings: 10 best third-round draft picks of all-time
By Adam Carlson
1. Fran Tarkenton, QB – 1961
Number one on this list couldn’t be anyone else. As the only member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selected by the Minnesota Vikings in Round 3 and the fact he played with the franchise for 13 seasons, it’s a lock.
Fran Tarkenton is the Vikings all-time leader in passing yards with 33,098 and passing touchdowns with 239. And nobody is even close to those marks. If anyone ever does surpass those numbers, it won’t happen for a long, long time.
Add in that Tarkenton made the Pro Bowl five times with Minnesota, was first-team All-Pro in 1975, second-team All-Pro in 1973, and the league’s Most Valuable Player/Offensive Player of the Year in 1975.
Fran Tarkenton did play for the New York Giants for five seasons in the middle of his career before being traded back to the Vikings, but he will always be in the conversation as possibly being the best player ever to wear purple and gold for Minnesota.
Related Story. 10 best Vikings second-round draft picks of all-time. light
Hopefully, this list helps to show some of the great success the Minnesota Vikings have enjoyed drafting players in the third round of the NFL Draft. Was anyone forgotten or do you agree/disagree with the order? Let us know in the comments section!