April 28, 2018
By Greg Ostendorf
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. -- Daniel Carlson became the first place kicker and the fourth Auburn player drafted this weekend when the Minnesota Vikings traded up to take the three-time Lou Groza Award finalist at pick No. 167 in the fifth round Saturday.
Carlson, a four-year starter for the Tigers, was named the SEC special teams player of the year in back-to-back seasons and became the league's all-time leading scorer this past season. The senior finished his career with 474 points and 92 field goals made, including 13 field goals of 50 yards or more.
With the 167th overall pick, we have selected K @DanielCarlson38! pic.twitter.com/Z1vlKQAqp6
-- Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) April 28, 2018
"(Going to Auburn) obviously turned out being the best decision I ever made," Carlson said. "God had a plan for me, and it was so much better than I could have ever imagined at that point. I was going to college just hoping that I'd enjoy it, get a degree, and that I'd do well at football for the team. Obviously, I think I got a little more than I bargained for in each of those aspects."
Carlson is the first Auburn place kicker drafted since 1977 when Neil O'Donoghue was a fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills, and he becomes the 20th Auburn player drafted since Gus Malzahn took over as head coach in 2013.
The Colorado native is the first Auburn player drafted by the Vikings since Donatarrious Thomas in 2004.
Though Carlson, Braden Smith, Kerryon Johnson and Carlton Davis were the only Auburn players selected in this year's NFL draft, a number of former Tigers were signed as free agents after the draft. Below is a look at where they landed.
Jeff Holland: Denver Broncos
Stephen Roberts: Philadelphia Eagles
Austin Golson: New York Jets
Darius James: New York Jets
Tre' Williams: New York Jets
Tray Matthews: Minnesota Vikings
Kamryn Pettway: Minnesota Vikings
Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @greg_ostendorf