The Minnesota Vikings selected Stanford running back Toby Gerhart with the 51st pick in the 2010 NFL draft, adding a player who should make an instant impact as a 1-2 punch with Adrian Peterson -- and a player whose presence should make Brett Favre happy.
Gerhart is a good athlete who can run, catch passes out of the backfield and block, and he’ll be a great fit for the Vikings after they lost Chester Taylor. Although he won’t compete for a starting job as long as Peterson is around, he should get plenty of touches on offense as a rookie.
The Vikings gave up their second-round pick (62nd overall) and their third-round pick (93rd overall) to get take Gerhart with the Texans’ second-round selection.
Gerhart carried 343 times for 1,871 yards and 28 touchdowns in a stellar senior season. He won’t carry that kind of load in Minnesota, but he will make a difference immediately.
