Flashback Friday – Randall McDaniel, an A+ Viking Draft Pick
LeeAnn Lowman
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The Minnesota Vikings have had some amazing draft picks over the decades, including names like Fran Tarkenton, Matt Birk, and guard Randall McDaniel. McDaniel was drafted in 1988 by the Vikings with the 19th pick. Experts expected McDaniel to have an impact; however, no one could have predicted all the ways in which this would come true.
The Development of a Phenom
McDaniel was raised in Arizona and attended Arizona State University. He was a stand-out athlete in both track and field and football. In track and field, he participated in almost every event (100 meters, 400 meters, shot put, long jump, etc.) and was widely considered the fastest offensive lineman to join the NFL. In football, he helped ASU reach their first-ever Rose Bowl in 1987. In addition to track and football, McDaniel participated in and won steroid-free powerlifting competitions. During his senior year, McDaniel participated in the NFL Combine and garnered the attention of several teams. He was unbelievably fast and strong for an offensive lineman. He ran a 4.6 40 yard dash and had a 35-inch vertical leap, no easy feat for a man who was 6’4” and 268 lbs.
Time as a Viking
The Vikings knew they had something special in McDaniel. He was nearly as fast as the running backs on the team. He jumped right in and had an immediate impact. McDaniel was fast with powerful hands, and was an absolute scholar of the game. He spent time honing and refining his craft, constantly trying to improve. He inspired the others on the line and on the team to want to be better. He was such a tremendous athlete that he was even slotted in as a fullback in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
Every season McDaniel played he was a consistent, steady, reliable player who rarely disappointed. In 1988, he was selected to the All-Rookie team. In 1994, his offensive line was so solid that it held the opposition to 1 sack every 22.7 pass attempts. During the Vikings magical 1998 season, McDaniel was responsible for creating the holes that allowed the defense-gashing duo of Leroy Heard and Robert Smith to combine for 1,666 rushing yards. That same offense scored a team record of 556 points that season.
The Development of a Legend
McDaniel helped change the way offenses played the game. He made it nearly impossible for defenses to get to his quarterback. That same 1998 season, his line gave up less than 20 sacks. They bought QB Randall Cunningham so much time in the pocket he was able to really assess the field and complete passes. That offense had 4,492 passing yards and a 61.4% completion rate.
McDaniel was not without his critics. Although they were few compared to other players, there were some who felt he was too small to play in the NFL. McDaniel never allowed this to get him down. He played every game with joy. He loved the game and it showed. He also put those strong hands of his to work and it racked him up some holding penalties. Sometimes these were just penalties and sometimes it was an assumption that no one could stop defenders as well as he did without holding.
McDaniel is considered to be one of the most versatile and resilient offensive linemen to ever play. He started every Vikings game from 1990-99 – 202 consecutive games – and never missed a single practice during that same period. He was named to and started a team record 11 Pro Bowls (he had a 12th Pro Bowl with Tampa Bay).
McDaniel played 12 seasons with the Vikings. In 2000, he went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a 3-year contract. He stayed with them for 2 years and left. He went back to Minnesota on a one-day contract so he could retire as a Viking. He was always a Viking at heart.
This gentle giant eschewed the spotlight in favor of hard work and dedication. That was dedication to his team, his family, and his community. McDaniel was constantly looking for ways to give back. When a team selects a player in the first round there is a certain expectation of performance; with McDaniel the Vikings got so much more than just a football player.
