It has been a chaotic start to the 2026 NFL Draft, with Kansas City trading up for Mansoor Delane and the Los Angeles Rams taking their Matthew Stafford successor in Ty Simpson, stunning fans everywhere.
With the 18th pick in the draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Caleb Banks, defensive tackle out of Florida. Banks is a monster of a man, who will seamlessly enter this defensive line, as they needed to replace Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. Banks, the former Gator, has been battling foot injuries this season.
He has had two foot surgeries in the last nine months, with the most recent one around the combine.
Vikings select Florida DT Caleb Banks with the No. 18 pick
Minnesota just got a MONSTER in the trenches 💪 pic.twitter.com/0mLXq2uxe7
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) April 24, 2026
Caleb Banks, when healthy, would be revered as one of the best defensive tackles in the class. However, his stock did take a hit due to the injury bug. If he can stay healthy, he will be a stellar pick for the Vikings and this Brian Flores defense.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Vikings select Florida DL Caleb Banks in the 2026 NFL Draft