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It already feels like the 2026 NFL Draft class of the Minnesota Vikings has had little to no impact on the team this season. This follows a disappointing trend of the Purple and Gold spending draft picks on players who don't become regular contributors.
Although several of the players may eventually become important parts of the team, for now, the team is fortunate to be 6-2 without getting a lot of help from the players in whom the Vikings invested a draft pick.
Let's take a look at each player the Vikings selected during the 2026 NFL Draft Class to see how they contributed to the team this season and see what type of grade they receive for their contributions to the team.
When the Vikings drafted Caleb Banks No. 18 overall, it was assumed that he would need some time to acclimate to the NFL. The Vikings are heading into Week 10, yet he was inactive in Week 9 without having an injury designation.
If Banks doesn't start seeing the field more and making plays, he is in danger of being labeled as a bust. The most concerning part of his time in Minnesota is his PFF run-defense grade of 29.6, since that's one thing the six-foot-six, 327-pound defender was supposed to help.
Although he was selected 51st overall, the Vikings don't really have a spot for Jake Golday on defense. With how well Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson have been playing, he won't be stepping into a starting role any time soon and is fighting with Ivan Pace Jr. for playing time as a backup.
The good news is that Minnesota is still finding ways to get some value out of Golday. He is a regular on special teams and has shown some value on defense. In particular, his PFF coverage grade of 77.5 gives hope that he will one day be a starter.
"Big Citrus" has struggled to be effective this year, but at least he is getting experience this season. While fellow rookie defensive lineman Banks was inactive in Week 9 against the Bills, Orange played 22 snaps on Brian Flores' defense.
However, Orange still has a lot of work to do. In particular, his work on run defense needs to improve. He currently has a PFF run-defense grade of 38.8, which isn't going to deter any team from attempting to run the ball in his direction.
The Vikings have used Caleb Tiernan as an extra blocker this year, which was particularly effective during the eight offensive snaps he played against the Dolphins in Week 4. However, he has lost that role to tight end Ben Yurosek and is now struggling to get back on the field on offense.
When he was on the field, he played well. Tiernan has solid PFF grades as a pass blocker (75.7) and run blocker 72.6 and has not allowed a single defensive pressure in pass protection. However, he will have a hard time seeing the field behind offensive tackles Christian Darrisaw, Brian O'Neill, and Ryan Van Demark
The most curious situation among all the Vikings rookies this year is Jakobe Thomas. Minnesota invested a third-round pick in the defensive back, but has declared him inactive for every game this season.
Even when other safeties are injured or struggling to be effective, Thomas is on the sideline instead of on the field. Minnesota can't even find a role for the young man on special teams, which has to be insanely frustrating.
At the beginning of the season, it looked like Max Bredeson would be a great replacement for retired fullback C.J. Ham. Instead, his time on offense has been limited to single-digit snaps in the last two games.
Bredeson has one tackle this season and one targeted pass that was not caught. If he hopes to reclaim a role on offense, he is going to need to improve his blocking significantly. If he doesn't, he will eventually be relegated exclusively to special teams.
Like several of the rookies on this list, it is hard for Charles "Chuck" Demmings to get playing time on defense. With players like Isaiah Rodgers, James Pierre, and Byron Murphy Jr. ahead of him on the depth chart, special teams is his best opportunity to contribute.
In his limited time on the field, Demmings was solid. His PFF coverage grade of 61.1 is encouraging, and giving him special teams experience until there is a role for him on defense is smart preparation for the future.
The Vikings really hoped that Demond Claiborne could be the third running back option behind Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason this season; instead, he has been ineffective and frustrating enough for head coach Kevin O'Connell to turn to DeeJay Dallas instead.
This season got even worse for Claiborne when he was placed on injured reserve on Monday. A knee injury at practice will keep him out of action for at least four games, but Minnesota shouldn't be in any rush to get him back in the lineup.
Taking a late-round gamble on an interior offensive lineman makes sense, but Gavin Gerhardt was the only Vikings draft pick not to stick around into the start of the regular season, which says a lot for the potential of this draft class.
Gerhardt was signed to the Houston Texans' practice squad in September, but was released in October. The former Cincinnati Bearcats standout is not currently on an NFL roster and is free to sign with any team.
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