2026 NFL Draft Grades: Early Grades from Vikings Selecting Caleb Banks

It’s easy to see the appeal of Banks, a 6-6, 327-pound interior force with unparalleled explosion off the ball. Yet Banks has been waylaid by multiple foot injuries in the last year, and staying healthy could be a considerable concern. Banks also struggles to finish plays as a tackler once he gets in range of a ball carrier. There’s massive upside here for him to thrive in Brian Flores’ scheme, but this could also go awry if Banks can’t become a consistent performer.

The Athletic: “C+” grade

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.

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.

Matt Verderame, Sports Illustrated: “B” grade

If Banks were consistently healthy throughout his college career, he’d have been a surefire first-round pick. However, in being limited to just 34 games across five collegiate seasons, there are lingering questions. When on the field, the 327-pounder showed burst and agility on the interior. In 2024, Banks played 12 games for the Gators and amassed 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss, but only suited up for three contests last year due to a foot injury.

**How he fits with Vikings:** After moving on from Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen this offseason, Minnesota nabbed a long-term answer for coordinator Brian Flores on the interior. Heavy-handed and able to penetrate the pocket, he should make life easier for Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner off the edges.

Pro Football Focus: “Average” grade

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.

Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: “C” grade

Banks was an early first-round consideration until concerns over a lingering foot injury means he might not able to contribute right away, needing through the summer to recover. It’s not bad in terms of addressing a defensive need for Brian Flores, but they will need to be patient for production. It also is shocking the team didn’t take much-needed safety Dillon Thieneman.

Danny Kelly, The Ringer: “C” grade

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. Those are some of the early grades from around the internet for the Vikings’ selection of Caleb Banks. The theme seems to be the same for pretty much everyone. . .all the talent in the world is there, but it all hinges on whether or not Banks can stay healthy. I’m sure there are lots of players that you can say that about, but in the case of a guy who only played a handful of snaps this past season and *then* got hurt again at the Scouting Combine, those things carry a little bit more weight. Here’s hoping that Banks is full go when training camp comes around and we can see what this Vikings defense looks like with him ready to play a full complement of snaps as a rookie.