The Minnesota Vikings drafted three first-round picks Thursday night and the club signed a fourth.

Minnesota entered the draft with two picks in the round and selected Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd and Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes. Then, the Vikings made a bold move back into the first round in a trade with the New England Patriots to secure wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson.

They weren’t done there. In free agency, the Vikings signed defensive end Lawrence Jackson to a one-year contract, according to 1500 ESPN. A first-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2008, Jackson spent the previous three seasons with the NFC North rival Detroit Lions.

The 27-year-old Jackson figures to be a role player in Minnesota behind starters Jared Allen and Brian Robison. He has 19