The Vikings Added Someone Who Enjoys Talking Trash

Some players prefer to function as a silent assassin on the field. The Vikings didn’t draft somebody who could be included among them. Or, at least, that’s not what DT Caleb Banks said.

After getting scooped up at No. 18, Banks took some time to chat with the Minnesota media via Zoom. While doing so, I asked him to offer his own scouting report, a changeup from the draft process that involves so many people imposing their view onto his game. Part of what made his answer fascinating was his insistence on relishing the art of trash talk.

The Vikings Welcomed a Trash Talker

Certain things stand out about Caleb Banks. Some basics:

• He’s 23
• He stands at 6’6″ and weighs 330 pounds
• Kevin O’Connell praised the DT’s on-field “violence”

But then there’s something inside of him that’s not as easy to see. Of course, enough time watching him may lead to noticing the chatter taking place before and after the whistle, but he identified the trash talking as being something that flows outward from his approach to the game.

He began his answer in a predictable, normal way. Essentially, some largely meaningless football language like working hard and being competitive. What made those details notable was his insistence on letting that competitiveness lead to chatter.

Kick it over to Banks, who quickly pivoted off his point about wanting to win his reps with a proclamation about trash talk: “Did I say competitive? That’s me, I’m going to talk smack all day long.”

Hard not to love that attitude, folks.

Any young lad has much to prove upon entering the NFL. Caleb Banks isn’t an exception. He’ll need to arrive ready to work, willing to continue shaving off the rough spots in his game as he looks to reach his high ceiling.

To his credit, Banks did make note of some of those issues. He described “a little inconsistency on tape” while later clarifying a desire to see his “technique” get better as he grows more disciplined with his eyes.

Not that it was going to be an issue, but Caleb Banks has circled a few areas — consistency, hands, eyes — for DC Brian Flores and DL coach Ryan Nielsen to work on improving in the rookie. He is, like the rest of us, a work in progress.

Mr. Banks will be looking to prove the Vikings right for choosing him. He’ll do so with some belief in his own abilities, a confidence that spills out into a willingness to let his opponent get an earful as the game is unfolding.

Minnesota’s next pick arrives at No. 49, which arrives at roughly the middle of the 2nd. Later on Friday, the Vikings are set to use up a couple of 3rd-Round selections: No. 82 and No. 97.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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