Ranking every Vikings wide receiver drafted in the first round
By Tim Arcand
5. Cordarrelle Patterson (2013)
There is a huge separation between the No. 6 and No.5 positions in this ranking. Cordarrelle Patterson was the third first-round pick of the Vikings in the 2013 draft. The Vikings were looking for someone to complement Percy Harvin who led the Vikings in receiving in 2012 with 632 receptions, 677 yards, and three touchdowns.
In his rookie season Patterson, nicknamed “The Flash”, did not disappoint. In arguably the best season of this career, Patterson finished with 45 receptions for career highs with 469 yards and four touchdowns. He also added 158 yards on 12 rushes with another three touchdowns, and two more touchdowns on 43 kickoff returns.
His nine touchdowns during the season were second on the team to Adrian Peterson with 11. Patterson was named to the Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro mainly for his special teams performance.
Over the following three seasons Patterson never broke into the starting lineup at wide receiver. Questions about his route-running ability dogged him, and the Vikings parted ways with him following the 2016 season—a season where once again he was named to the Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro after leading the NFL with a 31.7-yard average on kick-off returns.
Patterson’s statistics with the Vikings in 64 games are 132 receptions, 1,315 yards, and seven receiving touchdowns. He also ran the ball 31 times for 333 yards and four touchdowns. He is the Vikings’ franchise leader with 4,075 yards on kickoff returns and five touchdowns.
Since leaving the Vikings in 2016, Patterson has struggled to find a home. The last three seasons he has jumped from the Oakland Raiders in 2017, was traded to the New England Patriots in 2018 and is currently playing with the Chicago Bears entering the second year of a two-year contract.