The Minnesota Vikings entered the NFL as an expansion team in 1961. They took part in the 1961 NFL Draft that was held December 27-28 1960. That brought 20 rookies to the team. To help the new team be "competitive" with 12 existing teams and the Dallas Cowboys, the NFL allowed the Vikings the opportunity to select veterans from established teams through an Expansion Draft. The Cowboys were excluded from the plucking because they were entering their second season after going winless in their first. The draft was held on January 26, 1961. The 12 established teams listed eight of the 38 players on their roster and the Vikings selected three players from each team's list to fill their roster. Here are the 36 players that the Vikings selecteded and the teams from which those players were selected in the 1961 Expansion Draft.

Chicago Bears
Bill Bishop, DT
Glenn Shaw, FB
Charlie Sumner, DB

Detroit Lions
Grady Alderman, OG
Dave Middleton, WR
Dave Whitsell, DB

Green Bay Packers
Ken Beck, DT
Dick Pesonen, DB
Paul Winslow, RB

Cleveland Browns
Rich Mostardo, DB
Fred Murphy, WR
Gene Selawski, OT

San Francisco 49ers
Hugh McElhenny, RB
Clancy Osborne, LB
Karl Rubke, LB

Los Angeles Rams
Don Ellersick, WR
Charlie Janerette, OG
Jerry Stalcup, LB

St. Louis Cardinals
Ed Culpepper, DT
Mike Rabold, OG
Perry Richards, WR

Baltimore Colts
Don Joyce, DE
Lebron Shields, DT
Zeke Smith, LB

New York Giants
Don Doll, OT
Bill Kimber, WR
Frank Youso, OT

Philadelphia Eagles
Jerry Huth, OG
Bill Lapham, C
Gene Johnson, DB

Pittsburgh Steelers
Tom Barnett, RB
Byron Beams, OT
Jack Morris, DB

Washington Redskins
Dick Haley, DB
Bill Roehnelt, LB
Louis “Red” Stephens, OG

Of the 36 players selected in the 1961 Expansion Draft, the following made the 1961 Vikings' roster:

Grady Alderman
Bill Bishop
Ed Culpepper
Dick Haley
Jerry Huth
Gene Johnson
Don Joyce
Bill Lapham
Hugh McElhenny
Dave Middleton
Jack Morris
Rich Mostardo
Fred Murpy
Clancy Osborne
Dick Pesonen
Mike Rabold
Karl Rubke
Lebron Shields
Charlie Sumner
Frank Youso

1961 starters are in bold.

20 of the 36 players selected made the 1961 Vikings roster. 15 of the 20 that made the team started.

The entire offensive line:
LT Grady Alderman
LG Jerry Huth
C Bill Lapham
RG Mike Rabold
RT Frank Youso

and the entire defensive backfield:
CB Jack Morris
CB Dick Pesonen
LS Rich Mostardo
RS Charlie Sumner

Of the 20 expansion draftees that made the roster in 1961, seven made the roster in 1962. The great Mick Tingelhoff bumped Lapham from the center spot and ultimately the roster. The remaining four offensive linemen returned as starters. The other three were Hugh McElhenny, Clancy Osborne, and Charlie Sumner. McElhenny contributed, Osborne started, and Sumner provided depth. By 1963, only Alderman and Huth remained from the expansion draft. Both were starters. By 1964, it was only Alderman.

Hugh McElhenny is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for what he did before the Vikings dug him out of the 1961 Expansion Draft heap. He did have a little left in the tank as he made it to his final Pro Bowl in 1961.

Among the expansion draftees, McElhenny might've been the biggest name and made the biggest early impact. The best player, by a very wide margin, was Grady Alderman. In his 14 seasons with the Vikings he was selected to six Pro Bowls and named 1st Team All-Pro once. He arguably ranks behind only Hall of Famers Ron Yary and Gary Zimmerman among the best offensive tackles in franchise history. In 2010, Alderman was named one of 50 Greatest Vikings. He should be in the team's Ring of Honor.

The Vikings were 3-11 in their first season. For good or bad, the 1961 Expansion Draft made up a significant part of that first team.