No team in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft caused more eyebrows to raise than the Minnesota Vikings with their 18th overall selection.
The Vikings decided to take Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, who was projected to be a late second-round pick. There is nothing wrong with his talent level, but many Vikings fans are worried about the broken foot he is dealing with. Banks made it clear to the media that he is good to go.
"Everything is good going forward."
Caleb Banks on his foot: "Everything is good going forward."
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) April 24, 2026
Rookie defensive lineman Caleb Banks says he is good to play for the Minnesota Vikings
The last year has been interesting for Banks on the injury front, as he broke his foot earlier in the college football season with the Gators and played in fewer than half of the games. During the offseason, he broke his foot again and wasn't about to work out for scouts.
It should also be noted that all 32 NFL teams received a message stating that Banks would be gone by the summer, just to ensure there wouldn't be any problems in the draft. Banks shared more about what caused his foot to break again.
"I had on some little skill cleats," he said via ESPN's Kevin Seifert, "some cleats I shouldn't have had on running at 40 in 330 pounds....it was kind of crazy."
If Vikings fans want to know what kind of player they are getting with Banks, the 2024 season is a good example. He's an underrated pass rusher who got 4.5 sacks two years ago, but he can be an elite run stopper on top of that.
That's the kind of skill set the Vikings need on their defensive line, especially at defensive tackle, given the lack of depth there. Minnesota let go of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave after each guy played one season, as the Vikings were looking to get younger and save more money.
Now the Vikings will have Banks join Jalen Redmond and Levi Drake Rodriguez on the defensive line, as the unit is shaping up to be solid. The hope is that Banks will stay healthy and make the franchise look good for taking him so early.
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