Every April, each NFL franchise seeks to add new players to its roster through a collegiatedraft known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting", more commonly known as theNFL draft. Teams are ranked in reverse order based on the previous season's record, with team with the worst record picking first, the team with the second worst record picking second, and so on. The two exceptions to this order are made for teams that appeared in the previousSuper Bowl; the Super Bowl champion always picks last and the Super Bowl loser always picks second-last. Teams have the option of trading away their picks to other teams for different picks, players, cash, or a combination thereof. Thus, it is not uncommon for a team's actual draft pick to differ from their assigned draft pick, or for a team to have extra or no draft picks in any round due to these trades.
^The Vikings first-round pick in 1962 was acquired by theLos Angeles Rams from theNew York Giants. The Vikings had traded their first-round pick in 1962 to the Giants for quarterbackGeorge Shaw.
^The Vikings traded Snow to the Los Angeles Rams before the start of the1965 NFL season.
^abThe Vikings acquired theNew York Giants 2nd and 28th (second-round) overall picks from the 1967 draft, the 1st overall pick from the 1968 draft and the 39th (second-round) pick from the 1969 draft in exchange for QBFran Tarkenton.
^The 15th pick in 1967 was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams.
^The Vikings first-round pick in 1969 was acquired by theNew Orleans Saints.
^The Vikings traded QBJoe Kapp to theBoston Patriots in 1970 in exchange for the 10th overall pick in 1972.
^The Vikings traded their first-round pick (18th overall) to theBaltimore Colts in exchange for two second-round and a fifth-round draft picks.
^In 1984, The NFL held a three-round supplemental draft for college seniors who had already signed with a USFL or CFL team. The Vikings selected Allanda Smith who had already signed theLos Angeles Express of the USFL.
^The Vikings traded their second overall pick to theAtlanta Falcons in exchange for the fourth overall pick and a third-round pick (60th overall).
^The Vikings traded their eighth overall and 67th overall (third-round) to theSan Diego Chargers in exchange for the 14th and 44th (second-round) overall picks.
^The Vikings traded their 16th overall and a fifth-round pick to theMiami Dolphins in exchange for the Dolphins' 14th overall pick.
^The Vikings traded OTGary Zimmerman to theDenver Broncos in exchange for the Broncos' 18th and 179th (sixth-round) picks in the 1994 draft, and the 42nd (second-round) overall pick in the 1995 draft.
^The Vikings traded DEChris Doleman to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for the Falcons' 40th overall pick in the 1994 draft and the 11th overall pick in the 1995 draft.
^The Vikings traded QBBrad Johnson to theWashington Redskins in exchange for the Redskins' 11th and 73rd (third-round) picks in the 1999 draft and the 56th overall (fifth-round) pick in the 2000 draft.
^The Vikings traded their 19th overall pick from the 2004 draft to theMiami Dolphins in exchange for the Dolphins' 20th and 119th (fourth-round) picks.
^The Vikings traded wide receiverRandy Moss to theOakland Raiders in exchange for the Raiders' LBNapoleon Harris and the seventh and 219th (seventh-round) overall picks.
^The Vikings traded their 17th overall pick (first-round), the 73rd and 82nd overall picks (third-round), and 182nd overall pick (sixth-round) to theKansas City Chiefs in exchange for DEJared Allen.
^The Vikings traded their 30th overall pick (first-round) and the 128th overall pick (fourth-round) in the 2010 draft to theDetroit Lions for the 34th overall pick (second-round), the 100th overall pick (fourth-round), and the 214th overall pick (seventh-round) in the 2010 draft.
^The Vikings traded their original 3rd overall pick (first-round) in the 2012 draft to theCleveland Browns for the 4th overall pick (first-round), the 118th overall pick (fourth-round), the 139th overall pick (fifth-round), and the 211th overall pick (seventh-round) in the 2012 draft.
^The Vikings traded the 35th overall pick (second-round) and 98th overall pick (fourth-round) in the 2012 draft to theBaltimore Ravens for the 29th overall pick (first-round) in the 2012 draft.
^The Vikings traded WRPercy Harvin to theSeattle Seahawks for the 25th overall pick (first-round) and 214th overall pick (seventh-round) in the 2013 draft as well as the Seahawks third-round selection in the 2014 draft.
^The Vikings traded the 52nd overall pick (second-round), 83rd overall pick (third-round), 102nd overall pick (fourth-round), and 229th overall pick (seventh-round) in the 2013 draft to theNew England Patriots for the 29th overall pick (first-round) in the 2013 draft.
^The Vikings traded their original 8th overall pick (first-round) in the 2014 draft to theCleveland Browns for the 9th overall pick (first-round), and the 145th overall pick (fifth-round) in the 2014 draft.
^The Vikings traded their original 40th overall pick (second-round) and 108th overall pick (fourth-round) in the 2014 draft to theSeattle Seahawks for the 32nd overall pick (first-round).
^The Vikings traded their 14th overall pick in the 2017 draft and their fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft to thePhiladelphia Eagles for QBSam Bradford.
^The Vikings traded a seventh-round selection (239th overall) and WRStefon Diggs to theBuffalo Bills in exchange for Buffalo's first-, fifth- and sixth-round selections (22nd, 155th and 201st overall) and 2021 fourth-round selection.
^The Vikings traded their original first-round selection (25th overall) to theSan Francisco 49ers in exchange for San Francisco's first-, fourth- and fifth-round selections (31st, 117th and 176th overall).
^The Vikings traded their original first- and a fourth-round selection (14th and 143rd overall) to theNew York Jets in exchange for the first-round selection the Jets received from theSeattle Seahawks (23rd overall) and two third-round selections (66th and 86th overall).
^The Vikings traded their original first- and a second-round selection (12th and 46th overall) to theDetroit Lions in exchange for Detroit's first-, second- and third-round selections (32nd, 34th and 66th overall).
^The Vikings traded their original first-, and fourth- and fifth-round selections to theHouston Texans in exchange for a first-round selection (10th overall) and a sixth-round selection (203rd overall).
^The Vikings traded second- and sixth-round selections (42nd and 188th overall), and a 2025 second-round selection to theHouston Texans in exchange for first- and seventh-round selection (23rd and 232nd overall).
^The Vikings traded the first-round selection they received from theHouston Texans (23rd overall), a fifth-round selection (167th overall), a2025 third-round selection and a 2025 fourth-round selection to theJacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a first-round selection (17th overall).
