15 greatest Minnesota Vikings draft picks of all-time

Joey Browner – S

Draft Year: 1983

Draft Selection: Pick No. 19 (First Round)

When it comes to safeties that have played for the Vikings, Paul Krause and Harrison Smith typically get all of the love. But Joey Browner was no slouch and his career in Minnesota was actually better than what Smith has done so far.

After an impressive college career at USC, the Vikings decided to use their first-round selection in the 1983 NFL Draft on Browner. He didn’t become a full-time starter immediately with Minnesota, but when he became a permanent member of the starting lineup in 1985, he never looked back.

During a six-year stretch with the Vikings from 1985 to 1990, Browner earned six Pro Bowl invites and three First-Team All-Pro selections.

His 37 career interceptions currently rank fourth in Minnesota team history, and in 2013, the Vikings voted him into their Ring of Honor.