Two Vikings Rookies Could Start from Day One
If you’re looking for clues about whether the popular Minnesota Vikings rookies will start Week 1, they have trickled in, thanks to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Training camp will obviously sort out camp battles, but the Vikings front office and coaching staff evidently expect two main rookies to start sooner rather than later: Caleb Banks (DT) and Domonique Orange (NT).
And that’s exactly the kind of news fans have waited for — rookies who contribute.
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Seifert on Vikings Rookies
Exploring the topic of rookie starters for the Vikings, Seifert wrote Monday, “Internally, the Vikings believe first-round pick Caleb Banks should win a starting defensive end job if his broken left foot is fully healed. Third-round selection Domonique Orange is also expected to challenge Levi Drake Rodriguez at nose tackle.”
“Second-round pick Jake Golday began this spring as an off-ball linebacker, meaning he is likely to be a backup behind veterans Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson, and third-round pick Jakobe Thomas should be in the mix for the safety job that will open if veteran Harrison Smith follows through on plans for retirement.”
Minnesota drafting two defensive tackles in the first three rounds was quite surprising for onlookers.
Seifert added, “Flores was heavily involved in the Vikings’ 2026 draft strategy and presumably has long-term plans for all four players, in addition to cornerback Charles Demmings, a fifth-round selection.”
“But no one would be surprised to see any or all of them mired under the weight of either the scheme or Flores’ fiery approach — or both.”
Banks and Orange profile for immediacy; the rest may be saved for a rainy day.
The Case for Banks
The Banks revelation should be a relief for Vikings fans — not a reason to rejoice. Minnesota swerved in April by drafting him, making it one of the most shocking moments of the offseason and in recent Vikings draft history. Most general managers are skeptical about drafting linemen — offense or defense — with back-to-back foot injuries, but the Vikings’ brass simply didn’t care.
The neat part about Banks is the upside. Before the second foot injury, he was forecasted to fly off the board in Round 1; it was just a matter of which team. Then, the broken foot at the NFL Combine surfaced, and Banks became an automatic 2nd-Rounder.
The Vikings disagreed, and here we are.
If Banks starts against the Green Bay Packers on September 13th, the Vikings’ decision-makers will look like the smartest kids in school.
The Case for Orange
Here’s an odd factoid about nose tackles: they can fit into the NFL groove much more quickly than most rookies. There’s something about “just go stop the run, big man” that is easier to digest than other positions.
Accordingly, Orange is no different. Rodriguez, while a decent defensive tackle in his own respect, isn’t a defender who’s a lifer at his position. Hell, he hasn’t even really started his career yet. Instead, Minnesota is filling voids left by the departures of Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Allen, and Javon Hargrave in the last 11 months.
Orange might be a safer bet to start than Banks, particularly since Orange has no nagging pre-draft injuries.
Zone Coverage‘s Zac Scholl noted on Orange in May, “Given that the Vikings struggled against the run more this past season, Orange will be able to see the field early. Add in that the defensive line room is missing some established talent, and Orange could immediately be a staple in Brian Flores’ defense. Expect projected starting linebackers Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson to be very happy about that.”
“Aside from being a run-stuffing expert, Orange has been highlighted for promising pass-rushing tools, including active hands and impressive quickness on initial steps. These traits translate well for generating pressure from the interior of the line on quarterbacks, another area Minnesota struggled with in 2025.”
The Rest
Golday, mentioned by Seifert, will have to work his way into playing time — unless he has immediate EDGE utility. Stay tuned.
Offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan felt like a gravy “best player available” pick in Round 3 — the fruit of Sam Darnold’s free-agent exit via the compensatory pick process — and he won’t take jobs from Christian Darrisaw or Brian O’Neill. Jakobe Thomas has a path to snaps, but that will hit the back burner if Harrison Smith returns.
The rest, all after Round 4, are lottery tickets, who almost certainly won’t start in Week 1. There’s an outside chance that Charles Demmings or Demond Claiborne could see action if injuries arise during training camp, but other than that, late-rounders must do what late-rounders are asked to do: prove themselves.
The Packers are favored to beat the Vikings in Week 1 by a point or two.
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