If you’re not a fan of an optimistic—but realistic—approach to the Minnesota Vikings, this article probably isn’t for you. With that being said, let’s dive into one of the more rollercoaster NFL Drafts for the Vikings in recent years. The Vikings kicked off their NFL Draft by selecting defensive tackle Caleb Banks out of Florida. This sparked a strong reaction from fans, many of whom were disappointed the team didn’t select Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, who had been heavily mocked to Minnesota

The Minnesota Vikings have wrapped up their second day of the 2026 NFL Draft, and we’ll be breaking down each pick from Rounds 2 and 3—assessing the players, trades, and overall value. The Vikings kicked off the day by trading back in the second round from pick No. 49 to No. 51 with the Carolina Panthers, while also swapping their No. 196 pick to move up to No. 159. The trade had little impact on their second-round approach, as they only moved back two spots, but it did allow them to turn a sixt

The Minnesota Vikings have 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 with taking an interior defensive lineman with their first pick in the draft and shocked even more people with the player they took. Banks has been under the radar among the Minnesota Vikings Draft offseason talks, but was mocked to them a few times by high profile NFL Draft Specialists. Banks spent 2 seasons at Lo