Two Vikings Listed as Dark Horse Candidates for Rookie of the Year

Jeffrey Becker The Minnesota Vikings drafted four defensive players before the end of Round 3 in the 2026 NFL draft, the most such selections before the start of Round 4 in franchise history. Now, according to ESPN, two of those rookies have outside chances of winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award: defensive tackle Caleb Banks and linebacker Jake Golday . Banks and Golday already have outside attention before playing a snap.

No Vikings player has won rookie of the year since 2009, when wide receiver Percy Harvin brought home the hardware. Minnesota’s Defensive Youth Movement Gets Early Buzz Do you think Banks and Golday have a shot at DROY glory? Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks celebrates a takeaway during second-half action, with Nov 16, 2024 centered at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville as he secures a fumble recovery against LSU, energizing the defense and swinging momentum in a physical SEC matchup late in the contest.

Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images ESPN Names Banks a ‘Longshot” Contender for DROY Ben Solak analyzed the Rookie of the Year chase at length last week, and on Banks, he noted : “No defensive tackle has won Rookie of the Year since Aaron Donald in 2014, and the only other tackle to do it this century was Ndamukong Suh. Banks is that sort of talent and an enticing bet accordingly. But he has a foot injury that’s impossible to overlook.

” “He also plays in a Brian Flores defense that doesn’t allow defensive tackles to play the sort of unhinged, penetration-oriented style that leads to sacks. Sure, the Vikings spent an early pick on Banks — but as head coach of the Dolphins in 2019, Flores used the No. 13 pick on Christian Wilkins , and he had two sacks as a rookie.