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Is Caleb Banks a Bust? Vikings First-Rounder Ranks Last Among Rookie Defensive Tackles
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- Is Caleb Banks a Bust? Vikings First-Rounder Ranks Last Among Rookie Defensive Tackles
Caleb Banks has the lowest grade of any rookie defensive tackle in the NFL, and that number is starting to follow the Minnesota Vikings' first-round pick. His 30.5 season grade ranks 12th among 12 rookie interior linemen in PFF's midseason first-round grades , the lowest of any first-round pick in the 2026 class.
Sunday's 19-15 loss in Detroit , Minnesota's first of the season, didn't change much. Banks played 13 snaps, made one tackle in the run game and didn't generate pressure on five pass-rush snaps, finishing with a 53.3 grade, according to PFF.
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Caleb Banks is stuck in a crowded rotation
Aug 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Caleb Banks (95) lines up against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The bust label skips over how little he has played. Banks has 107 snaps all season, with 54 against the run and 53 as a pass rusher, according to his PFF page . That's barely two full games of work. In that time he has three hurries, no sacks and five stops, and his 29.6 run-defense grade is where the low overall mark comes from.
He is also behind a fellow rookie. Domonique Orange played 26 snaps to Banks' 13 against the Lions, according to PFF, and PFF analyst Dalton Wasserman expects Banks to keep getting rotational reps behind Minnesota's veterans and Orange. Levi Drake Rodriguez played 47 snaps and posted a 78.6 run-defense grade, the kind of work Banks hasn't been able to give the Vikings yet.
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Minnesota doesn't need him to start right now. The defense remains at the top of the heap even after the loss, and the bigger questions are on offense, where the Vikings are sticking with Kyler Murray after a hamstring scare. That gives defensive coordinator Brian Flores and the staff room to bring Banks along slowly instead of forcing him into a bigger role before he's ready.
So is Banks a bust? Not on 107 snaps. A first-round pick who can't crack a rotation by midseason is a fair concern, but the sample is too small for a verdict. The test is whether his snaps climb in the second half as the Vikings answer their biggest questions heading into Week 9 , or whether Orange keeps pulling away.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
