5 best Vikings seventh-round picks of the last decade
By Nik Edlund
2. Jamarca Sanford – S
The Vikings seem to have a knack for finding safeties in the seventh round. The Vikings took this guy way back in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The former Ole Miss Rebel made an impact right away with 29 tackles in 14 games as a rookie.
Jamarca Sanford worked his way into the starting lineup and played for the Vikings for five seasons. Sanford was never much of a ballhawk having just two interceptions in his time with the Purple. He wasn’t afraid to throw his body around and lay a hit though.
His most productive stretch with the Vikings was from 2011-2013 where he started 41 games and had 216 tackles. Sanford wasn’t a splashy player but he was a solid one who excelled at stopping the run.
After his time with the Vikings, he signed with the Washington Redskins and then finished out his career with the New Orleans Saints. His career numbers were 297 tackles, one sack, eight forced fumbles, and three interceptions.
Many players who were drafted earlier than Sanford didn’t put up close to that kind of production. He was a great pick by the Vikings, and a huge steal in the seventh round.