A pair of notable names in Vikings lore will help the franchise add to its history by announcing picks at the podium in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Carl Eller and Steve Jordan, two of the best players at their respective positions in team history, will be in Nashville later this month.
Eller will announce Minnesota's selection in the second round, which is currently slated to be the 50th overall pick in the draft.
The Hall of Fame defensive end played 209 career games as a Viking over a 15-year career in Minnesota.
Eller, who went into the Vikings Ring of Honor in 2002, was a five-time All-Pro who started in each of Minnesota's four Super Bowl appearances. He is the Vikings all-time leader in sacks with 130.
Named as one of the 50 Greatest Vikings in 1020, Eller was the sixth overall pick in the 1964 Draft out of the University of Minnesota.
Jordan will announce the Vikings third-round selection, which is currently pick No. 81.
Jordan played all 13 seasons of his career in Purple, and is one of the most distinguished tight ends in franchise history.
He hauled in 498 catches for 6,307 yards with 28 touchdowns in a stellar career that saw him go to six straight Pro Bowls from 1986 to 1991.
Jordan ranks third all-time, and first among tight ends, in receptions, and is sixth in franchise history (and first among tight ends) in receiving yards.
Jordan ranks eight in team history in touchdown catches and is second among tight ends, as Kyle Rudolph passed him in Week 17 of the 2016 season.
He was a seventh-round pick in the 1982 NFL Draft out of Brown.
The 2019 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday, April 25, from Nashville at 7 p.m. (CT). The second and third rounds will be held on April 26 and begin at 6 p.m. (CT). The fourth round will start at 1 p.m. (CT) on April 28 and be followed by Rounds 5-7.
MMQB ranks RB situations around the league
It's no secret that Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer was frustrated with his team's rushing attack this past season.
Minnesota ranked 27th with 357 total rushing attempts, was 30th with 1,493 rushing yards and tied for 27th with nine rushing touchdowns.
Connor Orr of The MMQB recently went through each roster and **ranked the running back situations**, slotting the Vikings 26th in the league.
Orr wrote:
The idea that Ameer Abdullah could have a bit of a career revival here is attractive. Dalvin Cook went from injured to stuck in an offense that vacated the run too early. He's undeniably talented but has yet to crack 615 yards and two touchdowns in a season.
Cook has played in 15 of 32 possible regular-season games since being drafted in the second round in 2017.
While he has averaged 4.7 yards per carry in his career (969 yards on 207 attempts), he suffered a torn ACL in 2017 and the dealt with a nagging hamstring injury in 2018.
The Vikings re-signed Abdullah last month after the running back spent half of the 2018 season in Purple.
If Cook can stay healthy and Abdullah can provide a spark in the offense, the Vikings could have one of the league's most productive running back rooms in 2019.
