EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Perhaps it was coincidence. Maybe it's because when you stack players both horizontally and vertically on your draft board you can get it to read any way you want. Or maybe, just maybe (wink, wink), the best player available really was there each time the Vikings turn came up.

Whatever the case, the Minnesota Vikings completed the two-day NFL draft Sunday conveniently filling several needs with their five picks. Considering their inactivity in a down free-agent market and the fact this is a team built to win now, that shouldn't be considered a bad thing.

"We stayed true to our draft board in taking the best available players, but also we were fortunate enough to do that and fill some needs," said Rick Spielman, Vikings vice president of player personnel. "(The horizontal board that allows for more than one best player available) worked out because there were multiple choices at positions of need that were at the same categories that I've always talked about. This year just happened to work out that way where we were able to fill needs and still get players how we had them rated."

The Vikings entered this draft looking for help at offensive right tackle, wide receiver and cornerback. All three areas were addressed when the third round concluded. The big splash was the addition of Florida receiver Percy Harvin, who only dropped to the 22nd pick in the first round because of character issues.

Harvin has the potential to take the Vikings' offense from predictable to electric depending on how he is used, along with Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson and fellow receiver Bernard Berrian. "Percy is a thrill a minute," wide receivers coach George Stewart said. "This guy is very electric. He was probably the most electric guy in the draft coming out, and I think you take away what we call character issues (and) he's probably the top draft pick."

Harvin was followed by offensive tackle Phil Loadholt from Oklahoma and three more players Sunday — Georgia cornerback Asher Allen, South Carolina middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley and Mississippi safety Jamarca Sanford. Harvin and Loadholt will be expected to play prominent roles as rookies.

This marked the second consecutive season in which the Vikings had only five picks in the seven-round draft. Part of the reason for this was because Spielman swapped fifth-round selections with Washington and also traded the Redskins one of the Vikings' two seventh-round selections in order to move up and grab Brinkley.

Spielman often talks about building through the draft and admits he would like to have all seven of his picks and perhaps more next April.

"We had plenty of opportunity to dip into next year's (draft picks this weekend) and I totally would not do that," Spielman said. "I felt it was very important that we kept the integrity of our draft set from here on forward because of where we're at from a roster standpoint, too. ... Unless it's something that can't be helped or something that we think is part of winning next year we definitely will keep all our draft picks and hopefully accumulate a couple more."