Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder was among those selected by PFF in a recent list of the worst first-round picks in the NFL Draft since 2006.
After witnessing the career of the legendary Brett Favre crumble in front of their eyes in 2010, the Minnesota Vikings decided to use their first-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft on former Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder.
Looking back on it, the Vikings probably would have been better off with a hobbled Favre playing under center for a few more years than what Ponder attempted to do for them out on the field during his time with the team.
Instead of becoming the next great signal-caller in franchise history, Ponder will forever be remembered as one of the biggest draft busts since Minnesota’s very first season in 1961.
Former Minnesota Vikings passer named the worst No. 12 draft pick since 2006
During the last few years, the Vikings have established themselves as one of the best drafting teams in the NFL. But it wasn’t always that way.
During the early part of the 2010s, Minnesota had several early-round draft selections fail to meet their expectations, including Ponder, Matt Kalil, Chris Cook, Toby Gerhart, and Josh Robinson.
Sticking with Ponder, the former Vikings quarterback was recently named the worst No. 12 draft pick since 2006 by Pro Football Focus.
An argument can be made for a few others that have been selected with the No. 12 pick in the last 15 years. But given the amount of expectations Ponder was given in 2011 and how terribly he failed to come even close to meeting them, he’s going to be the choice every time.
Now, is the former Minnesota quarterback the worst No. 12 draft pick of all time? Some Vikings might think so, but the real answer is probably not.
It might be hard for some people to believe, but other former No. 12 selections including Cade McNown (1999), Patrick Bates (1993), Chuck Long (1986), Wendell Bryant (2002), and Jimmy Kennedy (2003) all had worse tenures in the NFL than Ponder.