The 2026 NFL Draft board actually fell the Minnesota Vikings' way. And although Rob Brzezinski, who is currently operating under a mountain of pressure, could have gone a number of ways to help build Brian Flores' defense, I'm not sure fans had Caleb Banks on their Bingo cards.
Yes, he is an incredibly talented player who was supposed to be a top-10 pick before the year. But after sustaining multiple injuries and having a down campaign, folks weren't even confident that he'd be a Round 1 selection come this weekend. But Minnesota bit at No. 18.
And while it may very well work out for Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings, it is hard to ignore the fact that they passed on Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, the most common player mocked to Minnesota, who was the rightful heir to the Harrison Smith throne.
Minnesota Vikings may rue the day they passed on Oregon's Dillon Thieneman in 2026 NFL Draft
After 14 years of excellence from Smith, he was released by the Vikings with a post-June 1 designation earlier this offseason. And what better way to mitigate that dramatic loss than to draft Thieneman, a versatile defensive back who is incredibly athletic, skilled, and can play both safety spots?
But Minnesota is now hoping that Banks can stay healthy and be the player that everyone knows he is capable of being. It's not like the Vikings didn't have a need on the interior defensive line, but the loss of Smith just makes shoring up the back end of the defense feel that much more pressing.
To make matters even worse, Thieneman ended up getting selected by NFC North rival Chicago Bears just a few picks later. It will be brutal for Vikings fans and the organization if Thieneman terrorizes Minnesota for years to come.
If Bears and Vikings matchups weren't spirited enough already, Ben Johnson and Co. have twisted the knife for O'Connell's team. Fortunately for Brzezinski and the front office, the safety class is relatively deep this year, so they can address the need in a later round.
Outside of Fernando Mendoza going to the Las Vegas Raiders, however, Thieneman to Minnesota felt like the most foregone conclusion of the event. Somehow, something got lost in translation, and Thieneman is now a Bear, not a Viking.
Unfortunately, this puts an even bigger microscope on Banks' health and performance over the years, as fans will have a hard time forgiving the front office for passing on Thieneman if he ends up being successful, in the same division, no less.
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