The Vikings’ First-Round Grades Are In
The Minnesota Vikings selected Florida’s defensive tackle Caleb Banks with their first-round pick. A large human being for Brian Flores’ defense, Banks comes with talent and injury concerns, which explains why analysts have mixed thoughts about the decision.
Here’s what they say.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: B+
Reuter’s analysis: “I projected Banks to the Vikings in my five-round mock because of their dire need at defensive tackle after the departures of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Banks is a top-20 talent when healthy because of his amazing combination of size and agility. There is risk, however, given that he missed time this season with injury and was reportedly hurt at the NFL Scouting Combine.”
The defensive tackle need was obvious. Allen and Hargrave lasted only one year on the roster and besides Jalen Redmond, the Vikings have to rely on unproven late-round picks Levi Drake Rodriguez and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. Banks is a welcome reinforcement.
Carter Bahns, CBS Sports: D
Bahns’ analysis: “The Vikings must not have any concerns about Caleb Banks’ foot, because using the No. 18 pick on a defensive lineman who has battled multiple injuries over the past year is otherwise a questionable move. Two surgeries since the start of the 2025 college football season, including one as recently as the combine, made Banks a candidate to fall out of the first round entirely. Instead, Minnesota took a gamble and will hope he delivers on his potential as a massive force on the defensive interior.”
The injury concerns are valid. Banks suffered two significant foot injuries. The Vikings did their due diligence and bet that he’ll be fine moving forward.
Ben Linsey, PFF: Average
Linsey’s analysis: “This is a significant reach based on the Consensus Big Board, but the fit in Brian Flores’ defense makes sense. Banks’ length and strength give the Vikings a unique presence on the defensive front that they can move across a variety of alignments, even if his production didn’t stand out at the collegiate level.”
PFF uses a different grading system. It’s fair to note the reach on the consensus board. Banks ranks 44th on Mock Draft Database and 37th on Arif Hasan’s board. Most of that discrepancy doesn’t come from his talent, though, but from the injury. He was viewed as a solid get at 18 prior to his second foot injury. The Vikings need to win their injury bet.
Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman, The Athletic: C+
Baumgardner’s and Dochterman’s analysis: “This is bold (if that’s the right word). When Banks is healthy and engaged with his technique, he’s a serious problem — on talent alone, he’s definitely DT1 in this class. However, he’s not a very consistent player, and despite his athletic potential, he could bust. Banks (6-6, 330) has had two serious foot injuries in less than a year, and many teams dropped him out of the first round after he broke his foot at the combine.”
It’s one of their worst grades. Ultimately, it all comes down to the injury. Analysts evidently like the player, but not the attached injury label. They bring back a true classic:
“The Vikings could’ve had a perfect fit to fill a need here, in Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman. Instead, they made a serious gamble on a recently injured, albeit very talented, athlete. It’s too big a risk for my taste, though I could easily be proven wrong in a year. We’ll see.”
Thieneman was Minnesota’s mock draft darling. Everyone linked the safety to the Vikings, making it one of the most boring draft cycles in recent memory. He’s now headed to Chicago.
Danny Kelly, The Ringer: C
Kelly’s analysis: “This could go down as one of the biggest gambles of the entire draft. When healthy, Banks has elite upside, bringing rare movement skills and incredible power at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds. But injury is a major, major concern here: Banks missed almost all of the 2025 season with a foot injury, then broke his foot at the NFL combine. The Vikings are clearly comfortable enough to roll the dice, but it feels like a massive risk, especially for a player of Banks’s size.”
Banks played three games in 2025. He returned late in a losing season, showing some character. Unfortunately, a second foot injury sustained at the scouting combine hurt his draft evaluations. At that combine, however, he ran a 5.03 40-yard dash, showing his athleticism. He did that with a broken foot, as the injury occurred the day before.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.