EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have selected Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph with their second round pick in the NFL draft.
The Vikings selected Rudolph with the 11th pick of the round on Friday night, the 43rd choice overall.
The 6-foot-6, 265-pound Rudolph left school after his junior season. Now he will be catching passes from Christian Ponder.
The Vikings surprised some by taking Ponder with the 12th overall pick in the first round on Thursday night. Ponder arrived in Minnesota on Friday and says it is his goal to be the starter in the season opener.
Vikings coach Leslie Frazier, the defensive coordinator before he was promoted to head coach, has now used his first two picks on offensive players.