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Vikings Pick 327-lb DT Caleb Banks at No. 18

4/25/2026

Summary

Vikings Draft Banks

The Minnesota Vikings drafted defensive tackle Caleb Banks at No. 18 in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Banks, a 6-foot-6, 327-pound former Florida Gators player, missed 2025 after left-foot surgery in March.
He recorded 4.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and six hits in 2024, earning Brian Flores’s praise.
Interim GM Rob Brzezinski expects Banks cleared by early June and hopes he will be ready for the season.

Summary

Bett Promoted

Florida's staff promoted Brendan Bett to fill the three-technique tackle vacancy left by Banks.
Bett logged 39 tackles, three sacks last season and writes daily improvement notes.
Coach Gerald Chatman praised Bett’s leadership, saying teammates must help carry his load.
Banks’ selection, the Gators’ first first-round NFL pick since Ricky Pearsall in 2024, came after his injury-filled 2025 season opened playing time for younger linemen such as Jeramiah McCloud, Mason Clinton and DK Kalu.

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Vikings Draft Banks

The Minnesota Vikings drafted defensive tackle Caleb Banks at No. 18 in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Banks, a 6-foot-6, 327-pound former Florida Gators player, missed 2025 after left-foot surgery in March.
He recorded 4.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and six hits in 2024, earning Brian Flores’s praise.
Interim GM Rob Brzezinski expects Banks cleared by early June and hopes he will be ready for the season.

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