How many times have the Vikings had the No. 12 pick in the NFL Draft?

During their history as a franchise, how many times have the Minnesota Vikings entered an NFL Draft with the No. 12 overall selection?

In just a few short days, the Minnesota Vikings will enter the 2022 NFL draft with the No. 12 overall selection.

It’s the first time the Vikings have had a draft pick inside the top 15 since 2015 and it’s the first time they have been slotted with the No. 12 selection since 2011.

That draft in 2011 was actually only the second time Minnesota has ever made a draft pick from the No. 12 slot in the team’s history. The Vikings have been around since 1961, so the No. 12 pick is clearly not one that Minnesota has had often.

Which players did the Minnesota Vikings select in the NFL Draft with the No. 12 pick?

Since their very first season in the NFL in 1961, the Vikings have made a total of 63 draft selections in the first round. However, only two of these were made with the No. 12 pick.

Back in 2011, Minnesota used the No. 12 draft selection on former Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder. After the departure of Brett Favre, the Vikings were hoping that Ponder could become their next franchise quarterback.

Ponder’s career with Minnesota got off to a bit of a bumpy start, but most attributed any struggles he had to him just being a typical young quarterback. By his third season, however, it quickly became clear that the former Minnesota first-round pick was not going to develop into a franchise quarterback.

Aside from 2011, the only other time the Vikings drafted someone with the No. 12 overall selection was in 1973 when they used the pick to add former Miami running back Chuck Foreman.

Unlike Ponder, Foreman was a big difference-maker for Minnesota out on the field. He was talented as both a rusher and a receiver out of the backfield. In 1975, he was selected as a First-Team All-Pro after rushing for 1,070 yards, leading the league in receiving with 73 catches, and scoring a total of 22 touchdowns.

Unfortunately, his career was cut short by injuries, but in Foreman’s seven seasons with the Vikings, he earned five trips to the Pro Bowl.

It’s safe to say the No. 12 pick worked out much better for Minnesota in 1973 than it did for the team in 2011. Hopefully, the Vikings will add someone with this year’s No. 12 draft selection who ends up making an impact similar to what Foreman was able to do.