When you think of the No. 18 as it pertains to the Minnesota Vikings, the first thing that naturally comes to mind is superstar wideout Justin Jefferson, who has set all sorts of records through his first seven seasons and is arguably still the top wide receiver in the NFL today.
Soon, however, it'll be another No. 18 that fans of the Purple & Gold will be focused on, as that's the first selection the Vikes own in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, the opening round of which kicks off from Pittsburgh on Thursday night, April 23.
Since joining the league ahead of the 1961 season, the Vikings have actually only made the 18th overall selection in the draft on three occasions. And while they've gotten some decent seasons here and there out of the pick, the overall history can't really be viewed as all that successful.
But we'll let you be the judge, as we quickly rank every player Minnesota has taken 18th overall in the NFL draft.
Ranking every No. 18 pick made by the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL Draft
3. Erasmus James - DE (2005)
While taken in the first round at No. 18 overall, defensive end Erasmus James was actually the second player taken by the Vikings in 2005, as they selected wideout Troy Williamson at No. 7 with the hope that he could come somewhat close to replacing Randy Moss. That, of course, didn't happen.
As for James, who was a consensus All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 at Wisconsin, he was viewed as the pass-rushing DE the franchise had been missing since Chris Doleman retired. But just as Williamson didn't work out, James didn't either.
The Saint Kitts and Nevis native had a solid rookie season, tallying 29 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 4.0 sacks, but that was as good as things ever got, as injuries derailed the remainder of his career.
James suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in Week 2 of the 2006 season and then appeared in just six games in 2007 before suffering a similar injury. He was released after that '07 campaign and spent one season in Washington before he was out of the league for good.
2. Garrett Bradbury - C (2019)
The most recent No. 18 overall pick the Vikings made was in 2019, with that selection being none other than center Garrett Bradbury, who'd earned consensus All-American and First-Team All-ACC honors at North Carolina State in 2018.
At 300 pounds, Bradbury remains one of the smaller centers in the NFL, and he's been consistently pushed around by opposing defensive linemen throughout his career.
While the fifth-year option on his rookie contract wasn't exercised ahead of the 2022 season, he actually had the best campaign of his career that year, which got him a three-year, $15.75 million extension during the 2023 offseason.
But two more subpar seasons ultimately led to the Vikings releasing him last year, at which point he signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots.
Bradbury is back in the NFC North for the 2026 season, as the Chicago Bears recently acquired him in a trade to replace Drew Dalman, who unexpectedly retired.
1. Dewayne Washington - CB (1994)
A quarter-century before taking Bradbury, the Vikings took another NC State player at No. 18 overall in cornerback Dewayne Washington, who made an immediate impact and is still one of the only first-rounders in franchise history to start every game as a rookie.
Washington tallied 75 total tackles during the 1994 season and recorded three interceptions, returning two for touchdowns en route to earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors as well as a fourth-place finish in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
The North Carolina native spent three more seasons in Minnesota and tallied another seven interceptions, including a career-high four in 1997.
But in February 1998, he was released and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he played six seasons and had 19 picks before closing out his career with one-year stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs.
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