The Vikings select Caleb Banks in the NFL Draft

(Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun)

The Vikings 2026 NFL 1st Round Draft Pick

The Minnesota Vikings selected defensive tackle Caleb Banks out of the University of Florida with the 18th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Vikings shocked a lot of people by taking an interior defensive lineman with their first pick—and surprised even more with the specific player they chose. Banks had largely flown under the radar in Minnesota’s draft discussions, though he was mocked to the Vikings a few times by high-profile NFL draft analysts.

Banks' College Years

Banks spent two seasons at Louisville before transferring to Florida, where he played three seasons to cap off his collegiate career. He appeared in just seven games at Louisville, then played 24 games at Florida across the 2023–24 seasons before an injury limited him to just three games in 2025.

During his 2024 season, Banks showcased his talent, recording seven tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and 21 total tackles. The talent is certainly there for Caleb Banks, and the ceiling is high for the 23-year-old, 6'6", 334-pound interior defensive lineman.

The main concern with this pick is Banks’ durability. As mentioned, he has played six or fewer games in three of his five collegiate seasons. That’s a real concern for a team looking for immediate improvement at the position.

What the Vikings Think of Him

The Vikings’ front office leadership remains adamant that Caleb Banks will be fine coming off the broken foot he suffered at the NFL Combine. They emphasized that their medical staff and doctors spent significant time evaluating him, giving them confidence in selecting him.

The Vikings’ interim general manager had this to say: "We have the best doctors in the country, if not the world. We have complete confidence in them. There's nothing without risk in any player you select, but we feel very good about where Caleb will be when it's time to go to training camp. So we're comfortable with the injury." via Will Ragatz on X.

Rob Brzezinski also said that Caleb Banks was their highest-ranked defensive lineman in the 2026 NFL Draft class.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was fired up as well, saying: "At that position, his size, his movement skills, his violence, the type of game that we think he can play, snap in and snap out, is something we're really excited about." via Will Ragatz on X.

The Vikings have lacked that nasty “violence” in the interior of their trenches for a long time, and Caleb Banks brings exactly that to the room. There’s a great player in that room now—you just have to hope he can stay healthy.

NFL Comparison

Caleb Banks has drawn comparisons to one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL, Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs. His combination of athleticism and finesse at 6'6", 334 pounds is rare—and an absolute threat to opposing offensive lines.

Our Reaction

We’d be lying if we said the Vikings didn’t slightly reach on Caleb Banks in the draft. Minnesota selected him with the 18th overall pick, when they likely could have traded back into the early 20s, still landed him, and picked up additional mid-round capital.

Could the Vikings have gone after safer players? Of course—but they chose to address a major need in the trenches and trusted themselves in selecting a player they are very high on.

Dillon Thieneman was still available when the Vikings made their pick, and it would have made for a great succession story in replacing Harrison Smith. But it wasn’t part of Minnesota’s game plan, and fans will have to accept that after growing emotionally attached to what Mel Kiper called the “next Harrison Smith.”

Banks’ college career may look underwhelming from a pure production standpoint, but his talent and massive presence in the middle tell a different story. Pairing him with Jalen Redmond to clog the interior could free up pass rushers like Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner to get to the quarterback untouched—and that’s going to be something to watch.

Despite being labeled a “reach,” Banks’ talent alone could have pushed him into the top 10 if he had stayed healthy and produced at a higher level at Florida. The Vikings may be taking on some risk, betting that he can stay on the field at the next level—but if they’re right, they could have the cornerstone of their interior defensive line for the next decade.

If you're interested in being notified when the next article comes out, be sure to scroll down to the "Free Subscription" form and subscribe, we hope you enjoyed!