Vikings selected Florida DT Caleb Banks with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

24 April 2026

Banks (6’6/330) flashed major disruptive upside along Florida’s interior in 2023–24 before a foot injury cut short his 2025 campaign. He took a clear step forward in 2024, playing 422 snaps with his pass-rush grade climbing to 73.2 with 29 total pressures, 4 sacks, and 21 hurries, establishing him as one of the SEC’s more effective interior disruptors. Banks’ tackling efficiency was solid in 2023 with an 11.8 percent miss rate, but rose to a somewhat concerning 26.1 percent in 2024. He really helped himself in the offseason, showing out at the Senior Bowl before assembling a superb 9.83 RAS score with a strong Combine performance. Unfortunately, Banks’ 2025 breakout bid was derailed by a foot injury after just 96 snaps, but his prior two-year trajectory reflects a plus athlete with real interior penetration skills and an intriguing pass-rush ceiling that Florida coaches believed he was just beginning to unlock. The big question mark now surrounds his health. Banks is reportedly expected to be cleared for contact in early June. If that comes true and the foot issue is behind him, this could look like a value for the Vikings in hindsight.