In the first round of the NFL draft, the Minnesota Vikings took the man they hope will be their quarterback of the future, Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder. Now they’ve given Ponder a big target.
Minnesota took Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph in the second round, 43rd overall.
Although Rudolph was limited by a hamstring injury in 2010, he was a big-play receiver when he was at full speed. He started 28 games in three years in college and had 90 catches for 1,032 yards and eight touchdowns for the Fighting Irish.
The 6-6, 265-pound Rudolph should make an immediate contribution to the Vikings’ offense, and Minnesota will hope he’s paired with Ponder for a long time.