Vikings history, without a No. 1 pick

This is the eighth time the Vikings won't have a first-round pick. Here's what they did in the other seven years:

1992

The Vikings lost their first-, second- and third-round choices to Dallas in the 1989 Herschel Walker trade, but they picked up Seattle's second-rounder for DE Keith Millard and drafted DE Robert Harris from Southern University. They selected two good players later in LB Ed McDaniel of Clemson (fifth round) and QB Brad Johnson of Florida State (ninth).

1991

Without a No. 1 and a No. 2 (lost in the Walker deal), the first picks were third-rounders in LB Carlos Jenkins of Michigan State and WR Jake Reed from Grambling (a pick they got from the Cowboys). Reed was the only salvageable player.

1990

The first two picks went to Dallas in the first ransom of the Walker trade. Texas A&M tight end Mike Jones (third round, 54th overall) was the first pick. The only noteworthy name they got was ninth-round RB Terry Allen of Clemson.

1989

The start of four years without a No. 1. They traded the 24th choice to Pittsburgh for LB Mike Merriweather and used the second-rounder (52nd overall) on Wake Forest LB David Braxton. Overall, '89 was the worst draft in Vikings history. Only Baxter and fourth-round TE Darryl Ingram of Cal made the team. Neither lasted long.

1981

The Vikings traded their first-rounder to the Colts, who took DT Donnell Thompson of North Carolina 18th overall, for two seconds and a fifth. They used the first second-rounder for Mississippi WR Mardye McDole. Better picks were third-round tackle Tim Irwin of Tennessee and eighth-round QB Wade Wilson of East Texas State.

1969

With their first-rounder (17th overall) traded to the Saints for QB Gary Cuozzo, the Vikings got a good player in second-round G Ed White of California with the 39th overall pick that came from the Giants as part of the 1967 trade of QB Fran Tarkenton. Otherwise, the 17-round draft was a colossal bust. The Saints, by the way, used the Vikings' first-rounder to take journeyman G John Shinners of Xavier.

1962

The Vikings' first trade, in 1961, found them giving up their No. 1 pick in the 1962 draft for QB George Shaw. Bad deal. After a 3-11 season, the Vikings had the No. 2 overall pick, which the Giants traded to the Rams, who took QB Roman Gabriel of Wake Forest. The Vikings traded their second-rounder to Cleveland to land DE Jim Marshall. Good deal. Their first choice came in the third round (30th overall) when they got WR Bill Miller of Miami. He didn't make the team.

CHRIS MILLER