Minnesota Vikings selection of Florida Gators DT Caleb Banks continues fascinating trend we expected would occur
The selection of Florida Gators DT Caleb Banks was a surprise, but the Minnesota Vikings’ process was exactly what we thought.
The first round of the NFL Draft was a fascinating one for the Minnesota Vikings. They didn’t just take a high-upside player in Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks; it signaled a desire to shoot for the moon.
Taking a massive upside swing with a player that can elevate Brian Flores’ defense is a great move. It’s a similar upside swing that they made with Alabama Crimson Tide edge rusher Dallas Turner in 2024. This time, they didn’t have to trade up to get him, but in exchange, Banks comes with a concerning injury.
That aspect was an interesting one for the Vikings. They have targeted a lot of different injured players in free agency, but not so much with the NFL Draft.
Caleb Banks fits interesting Minnesota Vikings trend
Going into the first round, the only player projected to go in the first round who took a top-30 visit to Minnesota was Oregon Ducks tight end, Kenyon Sadiq. What we didn’t know was that Banks also took a top-30 visit.
Selecting a player who was a top-30 visit has become a considerable trend for the Vikings, marking the fourth consecutive first-round selection who was one, and a fifth if you count J.J. McCarthy‘s private workout.
That trend is an interesting one for the Vikings. In 2021 and 2022, they didn’t have either left tackle Christian Darrisaw or safety Lewis Cine in for a visit. Banks also becomes the ninth draft pick since 2022 that was a top-30 visit.
| Year | Player | Round |
| 2022 | DE Esezi Otomewo | 5th |
| 2023 | WR Jordan Addison | 1st |
| 2023 | CB Mekhi Blackmon | 3rd |
| 2023 | RB DeWayne McBride | 7th |
| 2024 | EDGE Dallas Turner | 1st |
| 2024 | DT Levi Drake Rodriguez | 7th |
| 2025 | LG Donovan Jackson | 1st |
| 2025 | DE Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins | 5th |
| 2026 | DT Caleb Banks | 1st |
On top of that, the Vikings have also added 10 UDFAs who were top-30 visits and drafted six teammates of players who visited. It’s a trend that can help us figure out who the Vikings might be targeting.
If the top-30 visit had been reported earlier, Banks would have been more on the radar for us. Since we didn’t know that information, the Vikings were able to sneak their love for Banks under the radar. They used the consensus opinion of Oregon Ducks safety Dillon Thieneman to their advantage, and it worked out beautifully.
Maybe there is hope with interim general manager Rob Brzezinski.