It has been 18 years since the Vikings selected Adrian Peterson seventh overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. Peterson went on to become the franchise's all-time leading rusher and one of the best running backs of all time, but what if Minnesota opted to go elsewhere with its pick?
Peterson was recently on a small podcast called Stories Untold, and he recalled how the 2007 draft shook out. With Joe Thomas and Calvin Johnson both getting selected in the first three picks, he felt like he could've gone anywhere from picks 5-10.
"When Minnesota came up, I said Minnesota going to end up picking me. I honestly wanted to, during that time, slip to number 10, because I would’ve been able to go back home in Texas," he said.
A native of Palestine, Texas, Peterson would've been less than a three-hour drive from his hometown if he ended up on the Texans. Houston held the 10th pick and selected Amobi Okoye, a defensive tackle from Louisville. The next running back selected was Marshawn Lynch to the Bills at No. 12.
Minnesota was coming off a 2006 season, in which Chester Taylor led the team with 1,216 rushing yards. Running back was certainly not a need, but Peterson was a consensus blue-chip prospect, and he was too talented for the Vikings to pass up.
The Vikings never got over the hump to play in the Super Bowl with Peterson on the roster, but with an MVP, seven Pro Bowls and four All-Pro selections in 10 seasons with the purple and gold, it's obvious Minnesota made the right decision.
