Vikings take Stanford G David Yankey

With the 145^th pick in the fifth round, the Minnesota Vikings select…another Pac-12 player. Stanford guard David Yankey is now a Viking.

"I'm excited man; I'm excited," said Yankey on blocking Adrian Peterson. "I've watched that guy explode on Sundays for the last couple of years. To get a chance to play for him and block for him and see him do some of that magical stuff is exciting."

Yankey is a versatile offensive lineman that started 40 of the 42 games he appeared at Stanford. He started 26 times at left guard and 14 times at left tackle. He averaged 8.45 knockdowns and 1.3 touchdown-resulting blocks as a starter.

He had a formal interview with the Vikings at the NFL Combine and knew offensive line coach Jeff Davidson through his son, Stanford and former Eden Prairie High offensive lineman Nick Davidson.

"I think I'm a guy that fits well in their organization and excited to get to work," Yankey said.

He was just the eighth player school history to be selected as a unanimous All-American and received All-Pac 12 recognition for the third straight season.

Yankey last season graded at 90.02 percent for blocking consistency while having 22 touchdown-resulting blocks (career-high).

The selection fulfills one of the Vikings' biggest needs at guard.

The Vikings also traded their extra fifth round pick (148^th overall) to the Panthers for their fifth round pick (168^th overall) and an extra seventh round pick (225^th overall). They also still have a sixth rounder (184^th overall) and another seventh rounder (223^rd overall).