Looking back: The Vikings trade back into Round 1 in 2012 is memorable

Smith made six Pro Bowls from 2015 through 2021 and is the longest-tenured player on the Vikings. Kalil, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, began to decline over the next few seasons and became a free agent after an injury-filled 2016 season.

The move to acquire Smith was aggressive but paid off. For those of us in attendance at the Vikings' official draft party at the Metrodome, we weren't able to see the pick actually unfold. After the "trade" graphic appeared and the Vikings were on the clock, Metrodome workers told everyone in attendance that we had to leave the stadium.

Pleas to sit through at least that pick were ignored, no matter the reasoning (specifically, the Vikings' logo being on the bottom of the screen). In the early days of social media on cell phones, it was harder to stay up to date as we walked out of the stadium.

It wasn't until my dad and I got to our truck that we turned the radio on to hear the Vikings did indeed draft Smith. The moment was bittersweet in the moment but humorous to revisit, and thankfully worth revisiting for this story, even if only a few were there to witness it.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Vikings trade back into Rd. 1 in 2012 for Harrison Smith is memorable