The 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, with teams drafting new star players to help aid themselves in different position groups. The Minnesota Vikings needed to fill their depth chart in a couple of areas after some cutting of contracts from veteran players earlier in the offseason and they did well to draft a couple of young prospects from the collegiate ranks to help aid them. With Rob Brzezinski serving in an interim role as general manager, Minnesota made some daring draft picks and a couple of trades as well, including one of a key veteran player who was not pleased with being denied the opportunity to be paid more money for his services and got dealt to a team who happily compensated him with a new deal. This 2026 draft class might be remembered as very good or very mediocre, but hopefully in no way, shape or form will it be as atrocious as a couple of them from recent drafts. Let’s break down all of the picks and all the significant moves from the Vikings in this draft that occurred with a fan festival in Pittsburgh right outside of Acrisure Stadium.
On Night One, Vikings Draft Florida Defensive Tackle Caleb Banks to Help Fill Holes Left by Cutting a Couple of Veteran Linemen in Free Agency
With the 18th overall pick in this draft, the Vikings selected Caleb Banks, a defensive tackle from the University of Florida. Banks, 23, played college ball initially at Louisville for his first season before transferring to Gainesville in 2023 and playing three seasons in Gator colors. Banks had some solid numbers in his first couple of years at the Swamp, with 40 combined tackles and 5.5 sacks. However in the 2025 season, Banks had a foot injury that kept him out for the majority of the season and he only played in the final two games of a dismal season for the Gators football program. Banks also re-aggravated the foot injury at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, but he did tell teams that he would be ready for rookie minicamp in June. As a 6-6, 327-pound lineman, Banks is sure to be a menacing presence on the D-Line and will hopefully cash in some sacks and tackles for loss while playing at U.S Bank Stadium to begin his NFL career.
The Vikings took a risk in picking Banks when they could have easily settled for drafting a star wide receiver like Makai Lemon, who was drafted a couple of picks later by the Philadelphia Eagles. But they felt that the defensive line depth needed to be filled with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave being released from the team in free agency. With Jalen Redmond and a couple of other young guys on the defensive line, the Vikings needed more depth on the line and picking Banks was the perfect move to make. Other than that, the Vikings also made some other important moves in the draft to shore up their depth and take advantage of all their other picks.
Friday Night Picks: Vikings Draft Three More Defenders, Key Offensive Lineman & Trade Away Jonathan Greenard To Philadelphia
On the second day of the draft, the Vikings used their second round pick to select linebacker Jake Golday out of the University of Cincinnati. Golday started out his career with an FCS program in Central Arkansas before transferring to the FBS to be a Bearcat. Golday had a solid college career and in his final season, he had 105 tackles(39 of them solo), 3.5 sacks, and six tackles for loss at Cincinnati and he earned a First-Team Big 12 selection.
With the selection of Golday, the middle linebacker depth is shored up as he is expected to be a backup behind Eric Wilson(also a fellow University of Cincinnati alum). But drafting Golday was a sign that a major move was about to be made by the Minnesota front office. Sure enough, heading into the third round, the Vikings made a huge trade with an NFC rival in the Philadelphia Eagles. They shipped Jonathan Greenard to Philly for an extra third-round pick and a future third-rounder in next year’s draft. Greenard had wanted a raise on his contract that he had signed in free agency in 2024 and after missing several games last season due to a shoulder injury, Greenard was simply expecting too much from a cash-strapped front office. The rumors of him being dealt had flared up for quite a few months and the Eagles were seen as major suitors especially after Jaelan Phillips departed in free agency. So, the Vikings gave Philadelphia their coveted veteran pass rusher and Greenard signed a four year deal worth $100 million, with half of that salary guaranteed.
Meanwhile, another massive gentleman was drafted by the Brzezinski front office as the Vikings drafted Iowa State defensive tackle Domonique Orange with the 82nd overall pick of the draft. Weighing 322 pounds(but appearing to have more fat in his belly) at 6’2”, Orange’s nickname as a Cyclone was “Big Citrus”. And as a four-year letterman in Ames, his numbers were certainly massive as he tallied 18 tackles in his senior season and 66 overall for his career. Having nose tackle potential, Orange will be a menace on a line that could include a starting combo of himself, Banks and Jalen Redmond. With a load of strength, Big Citrus is set to make a big impact in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
For their second third-round pick, the Vikings nabbed a second Caleb of the class. This time, it was offensive lineman Caleb Tiernan at pick number 97, as he was another midwestern pick out of Northwestern University. With a tall frame of 6’7” and weighing 323 pounds, Tiernan is a good option to be a swing tackle to provide much needed depth behind the injury-prone Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. With good pass-blocking and run-blocking win rates, Tiernan can hopefully be a good starter at some point in the future on the O-Line, potentially having a chance to be a guard on the right side in place of Will Fries, who had himself a rough 2025 season.
As for the final third-round pick(the one they received in the Greenard trade), Minnesota selected a defensive back to shore up depth in a shaky secondary as they picked Jakobe Thomas out of the University of Miami(FL). Thomas was part of a solid Hurricanes DB group that almost helped bring a national championship victory to one of the most celebrated college football programs in the country. Thomas was a transfer portal player after playing his first three seasons for Middle Tennessee State, then playing at the University of Tennessee in 2024 and then going to the U for his senior season. In 16 games played in 2025, Thomas had 76 tackles, five interceptions, 3.5 sacks and six pass breakups. With Joshua Metellus and Theo Jackson holding down the starting spots at safety with Harrison Smith’s return to the team currently unknown, Thomas will serve an important role in a defensive backs group that needs to improve its interception and tackling stats in 2026. With these picks on the second night of the draft being efficient ones for shoring up depth in different position groups, the Vikings looked to put the finishing touches on an impressive 2026 draft on Saturday.
Day Three Fliers: The Vikings Pick A Fullback, Cornerback, Running Back & Center To Conclude Their Draft in Style
On Sat, Apr 25, the Vikings made a few more picks to shore up holes on their roster. With their fifth-round pick, they selected fullback Max Bredeson from the University of Michigan. Bredeson was on the 2024 CFP national championship team for the Wolverines along with J.J McCarthy, who was definitely stoked to get one of his old college teammates on the same NFL team as him. Replacing the retired C.J Ham, Bredeson can be used in a lot of different formations in the offensive playbook, including as a blocking tight end. After picking Bredeson, the next pick for Minnesota was a cornerback from Stephen F. Austin University named Charles “Chuck” Demmings. With Demmings, the Vikings add an athletic corner to a depth chart in need of youth and clutch play. Demmings will have to fight for a roster spot to be a reliable backup behind Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy Jr.
The Vikings then made a pick swap trade with the New England Patriots to trade into the sixth round and they selected running back Demond Claiborne from Wake Forest. Claiborne was the leading rusher for the Demon Deacons in the past three seasons and was also a solid kick returner as well. With Claiborne being a Second-Team All-ACC selection last year, he is the latest in a long line of late-round running backs picked by the Vikings. Ty Chandler and DeWayne McBride were picked in consecutive drafts a few years back and they unfortunately were unable to claim any significant carries in the offense in their time on the team. With Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason still on the roster, Claiborne could be a potential future runner who could take over once one of the current RB combo either leaves or retires. Along with Zavier Scott, Claiborne makes up the backend of the running back depth chart in Minnesota.
With their final pick in the draft, the Vikings shored up their offensive line depth even further by picking center Gavin Gerhardt from the University of Cincinnati. Gerhardt was a six-year starter and he carries a 6-4, 307-pound frame into the North Star State. With Blake Brandel currently penciled in as the starting center and another former late-round pick in Michael Jurgens also on the depth chart, Gerhardt will try to make his presence known on the offensive line in training camp. The Vikings did their best to fill up some holes on their roster and they also signed some undrafted free agents in diverse position groups. Three wide receivers, four defensive backs, four linebackers, three offensive linemen, and a few other players were picked up as well.
With there still being the need to pick up a legitimate third wide receiver, there is still work to be done for the Vikings’ front office in making the roster as strong as possible. But for now, there is a new class of nine new players who will call Minnesota their home for hopefully a few years in their professional careers.
Kent Bewley's News Story Collection 
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