The NFL's Top 50 Draft Classes of the Decade: No. 25 Minnesota Vikings, 2003

Team Achievements: 62-50, 3 playoff berths, back-to-back division championships in 2008 and 2009.

The Vikings' 2003 Selections: Kevin Williams, DT, Oklahoma St. (No. 9)
E.J. Henderson, LB, Maryland (No. 40)
Nate Burleson, WR, Nevada (No. 71)
Onterrio Smith, RB, Oregon (No. 105)
Eddie Johnson, P, Idaho State (No. 180)
Michael Nattiel, LB, Florida (No. 190)
Keenan Howry, WR, Oregon (No. 221)

Class Accolades: Kevin Williams - 5-time All-Pro, 5 Pro Bowls, 48.5 career sacks, 4 touchdowns, 10 fumble recoveries, 10+ sacks in 2003 and 2004.
E.J. Henderson - 12.5 career sacks, 546 tackles in 73 starts for Minnesota.
Nate Burleson - 127 receptions, 1,789 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns as 3-year starter for Vikings.
Onterrio Smith - 1,646 yards from scrimmage, 9 total touchdowns in two seasons.

Overall Draft Analysis: The Vikings provided one of the most bizarre moments in NFL draft history in 2003. The draft clock ran out on Minnesota's original No. 7 overall selection, prompting two other teams to beat the Vikes' to the podium, forcing the Vikings to pick ninth, instead of seventh. Ultimately, the Vikings selected the decade's most dominant defensive tackle, five-time All-Pro Kevin Williams. Williams has proven continuously disruptive as a pass rusher and run-stopper, during a seven-year stint with the Vikings. From 2006 to 2008, Williams served as the catalyst to the NFL's No. 1 defense versus the run, including a historically brilliant 2006 season, as the team allowed merely 61.6 rushing yards per game. The second-round Maryland standout, E.J. Henderson, continues to complement Williams up the middle. Unfortunately, heartbreaking injuries have derailed Henderson's past two seasons. When healthy, Henderson has emerged as, arguably, the Vikings' most valuable defender and one of the NFC's most productive linebackers.

On the offensive side, Burleson and Smith provided respectable contributions, during brief stints with the Vikings. Burleson compiled 1,000+ yards and nine touchdowns in 2004. The Vikings ignored a number of red flags and drafted Smith, who scored nine total touchdowns with the team, before recurring substance abuse issues abruptly ended the troubled back's NFL career. Johnson assumed punting responsibilities for merely one season with the Vikings, while Howry and Nattiel became serviceable special teams' contributors. Nonetheless, the Vikings' amassed considerable depth with the 2003 draft, including current defensive stalwarts, Williams and Henderson. Williams' career will likely garner enshrinement in Canton, while the Vikings hope Henderson can return to Pro Bowl form in 2010.

The Vikings' "Perfect Draft" in Retrospect
No. 9 - DT Kevin Williams, No. 40 - LB Lance Briggs, No. 71 - WR Nate Burleson, No. 105 - RB Earnest Graham (Undrafted), No. 180 - P Eddie Johnson, No. 190 - LB Cato June, No. 221 - WR Kevin Walter.

References: All statistics and draft results as reflected on NFL.com and Pro-Football-Reference.com.