5 best Minnesota Vikings fifth-round picks of the last decade

Tyler Conklin – TE (2018)

This may speak more about the quality of fifth-round picks the Vikings have been able to land over the last decade, but the “Conk-A-Donk” A.K.A Tyler Conklin has made the list. Conklin was a fifth-round pick of the Vikings in 2018 and he has found himself stuck behind some talented players.

When he came into the league, he had David Morgan and the great Kyle Rudolph ahead of him on the depth chart, but he ended up making the team as the third tight end.

In 2019, Conklin had to battle a couple of rookies for playing time in Irv Smith Jr. and the surprising undrafted Brandon Dillon during the summer. Conklin and Smith ended up making the squad and even with all the mouths to feed in Minnesota’s offense, Conklin always seemed to make a key grab every couple of games or so.

Conklin finished the 2019 season with just eight receptions for 58 yards and no touchdowns. While his stats aren’t impressive, his coaches love him as he’s a dual-threat player who can block as well as catch the football.

Conklin can also play special teams and while his numbers haven’t looked that great so far, he brings a ton of value to the Vikings as a backup tight end who can come in at any time and be an asset in both the passing and running game.