Shove your draft grades where the training camp sun don't shine

If you followed the first round of the NFL draft or absorbed any of the post-mortems following the conclusion of the 2026 rookie roundup, you probably got the impression that the Minnesota Vikings have once again shot themselves in the foot, ass, and dick with their first-round pick of jumbo-sized DT Caleb Banks. Mel Kiper gave the entire Vikings draft a C just because he was so outraged that the Vikings had the unmitigated gall to take a player higher than what he had him ranked. 

Last time I checked, Kiper still had zero experience as a member of an NFL front office. Neither have I, but I'm not getting paid for my draft grades, and neither should anyone else. We simply do not know what any of these players will turn out to be until they get on the field against veteran NFL talent. What follows is my opinion as of this weekend about the quality of the picks versus my expectations. None of these grades is predictive of performance or the future of the Vikings, other than that one most important fact that we must never overlook:

God hates the Vikings.

Round 1, #18: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida—grade: C
This is the right grade to balance the risk (injury) vs. reward (game-wrecking freak) that Banks represents. I think they’ll bring him along very slowly, but if he stays healthy, look for him to make a big difference in December and January. I think the Vikings thought missing out on him if he turns out to be a star was a bigger risk than trading down or hoping he made it into the second round. If he hits, they'll all look like geniuses. 

Round 2, #51: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati—B+
A great pick at linebacker, Golday has size and speed, and he can rush the passer, drop into coverage, and stop the run. Golday could be a day one starter. If he fits into the Flores defense, he could turn out to be Andrew Van Ginkel’s successor opposite Dallas Turner. He was one of three picks I had on my own pre-draft big board wish list for the Vikings.

Round 3, #82: Domonique Orange, DL, Iowa State—A-
Big Citrus has one job: stop the run. Watch his tape—you can’t run on him. He’ll also occupy 2-3 linemen on the pass rush, opening the gates for Flores’ blitzers. If he can also get to the QB, this pick is a solid A. Orange was also on my big board and one of the players I most consistently mocked to the Vikings this spring. I’m delighted to have him in purple.

Round 3, #97: Caleb Tiernan, T, Northwestern—B-
Last year exposed how thin the Vikings’ depth on the OL was, and it derailed JJM’s first season and possibly his future with the Vikings. Tiernan is a huge body who can play four positions on the OL, and if he develops as a tackle, could be the future RT as Brian O’Neill ages out of his big contract.

Round 3, #98: Jacobe Thomas, S, Miami—C+
A ball-hawking, hard-hitting safety for Miami’s dominating defense, the two main questions are whether last season was an outlier or future predictor of success, and can he grasp Flores’ complex scheme well enough to get on the field as a rookie. Coaches praised his “football IQ,” which B-Flo craves. He has some stellar pick-six highlights from last season. I get the feeling he’s going to fit in well with the rest of the Vikings’ secondary. 

Round 5, #159: Max Bredeson, FB, Michigan—C+
The replacement for CJ Ham at fullback, Max’s value will depend on how committed KOC truly is to expanding both the running game and heavy/jumbo formations that take advantage of his skills. He should be a great blocker for runs or passes. As an added bonus, he’s a good friend of JJ McCarthy, who popped up on the media interview after the Vikings selected Bredeson much to the surprise of the MN media. 

Round 5, #163: Chuck Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin—B+
This may turn out to be one of Minnesota’s top picks in this draft. An FCS cornerback, Demmings wowed evaluators at the combine with 4.4 speed, a 42-inch vertical jump, and 11-foot broad jump. Wow! Tall, long, and quick, he’s just the kind of low-value/high-reward corner that Flores likes to develop, and he could make a big impact in the Vikings secondary as a rookie.

Round 6, #198: Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest—B
This was the running back that the Vikings had planned to draft before the draft began. He has the ability to make defenders miss and the speed (4.37 40-yd dash) to burst through the hole and zip down the field. Again, the question is how much he will see the field in a pass-happy KOC scheme, as well as whether his size (5-9, 188 lbs) will hold up against pro defenders. I think he could be a real difference-maker if he gets the chance. He may also have value as a kick returner. He was the third player on my pre-draft big board.

Round 7 #235: Gavin Gerhardt, C, Cincinnati—C-
He was not on the radar as a center, but Vikings staff did attend Cincinnati’s pro day, and the one thing about Gerhardt’s resume is his experience on the field—more than 3,300 snaps in his college career, which spans four years and three stints as a team captain. I look for him to displace Michael Jurgens as C2 behind Blake Brandel. His size is impressive, so if he can play, he might be part of the OL’s future.

Overall grade: B-
I'm a college professor, and I did the math, so you know this grade is legit!

Other notes: The trade with the Eagles for edge rusher Jonathan Greenard was tough to take, but they had to clear his salary for salary cap reasons, and an extra third round pick next year has real value. It’s nice to see the front office do the difficult thing when it’s both right and unpopular with the fans.

I think they will hire Rob Brzezinski as their full-time general manager in the next couple of weeks. He showed boldness and calculated risk with the Banks pick, and he managed the rest of the team’s draft capital like a professional. What we need in the front office is stability, professionalism, and common sense. Rob has all those qualities, and if all his drafts are at least as good as this year’s, we will be in good hands (at least until God once again notices we have made the playoffs).