Only one player was taken in the 2019 NFL supplemental draft and it was not a selection made by the Minnesota Vikings.
The creation of the NFL supplemental draft in 1977 is something that the Minnesota Vikings should be very thankful for. Without it, Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter might have never ended up making it into the NFL and spending the majority of his pro career as a member of the Vikings.
Carter was selected in the fourth round of the 1987 supplemental draft by the Philadelphia Eagles before he joined Minnesota’s roster in 1990.
During their history, the Vikings have only ever taken one player in the NFL supplemental draft. This came back in 1988 when Minnesota added former South Carolina receiver Ryan Bethea with a fifth-round selection.
The 2019 NFL supplemental draft took place on Wednesday and following its conclusion, Bethea is still the only player the Vikings have ever added during a supplemental draft.
Former Washington State safety Jalen Thompson was the only player who was selected during this year’s draft. Thompson ended up coming off the board in the fifth round and landing with the Arizona Cardinals.
With the Cardinals adding the safety on Wednesday, they now have to give up one of their two fifth-round choices in next year’s NFL Draft.
There were a total of five guys who were available in the 2019 supplemental draft. Minnesota clearly didn’t feel like any of them were worth giving up one of their selections in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Perhaps things will change next year. But for now, the Vikings still haven’t selected a player from the supplemental draft since 1988.