Brian O’Neill Just Revealed Something Unusual about the Vikings’ Rookie Class

The Minnesota Vikings welcomed a deep rookie class in late April, including 1st-Round defensive tackle Caleb Banks all the way to Cincinnati center Gavin Gerhardt in Round 7. The regular season is about three weeks away for those newcomers and the franchise, but in the meantime, right tackle Brian O’Neill revealed intriguing intel about some of the rookies this week.

Banks, fellow DT Domonique Orange, and linebacker Jake Golday all stayed in Minnesota this summer after OTAs, which is evidently pretty rare.

Vikings Rookies Took a Different Route to Training Camp

Staying Put after OTAs

O’Neill, who has been around the NFL for eight seasons, is not accustomed to rookies sticking around after organized team activities. So when Banks, Orange, and Golday stayed put, O’Neill noticed.

“Those two guys on the inside, like not many rookies I know have spent the whole summer after OTAs here. Mostly everybody goes back, but those two and the linebacker Jake that we got, all three of them stayed the whole summer,” he told former Vikings Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks on the Bent Outta Shape podcast.

Remaining in Minnesota is a testament to the youngsters’ dedication, especially if others rarely do it.

O’Neill added, “For the past four or five years, there hasn’t really been rookies who’ve stayed for the whole summer.”

“And just like you can tell through the first week, there’s less of an acclimation or less of a kind of shock because the people who are writing our practices are the ones writing our workouts the whole entire summer.”

Banks and Orange Already Look the Part

O’Neill’s assessment of Banks and Orange was specific: Minnesota acquired two interior defenders with contrasting physiques, yet both immediately “passed the eye test.” He described them as “twitched up,” a necessary quality for defensive linemen of their stature.

While physical traits alone obviously don’t guarantee instant stardom, they do explain Minnesota’s investment in the rookies. The Vikings always seek “culture guys,” and if Banks and Orange are willing to put in the work after OTAs locally in addition to showing the results at training camp, the draft calculus makes sense in hindsight. Perhaps Minnesota struck oil.

Removing the Shock

O’Neill also believes that staying on campus for the entire offseason benefited the rookies once training camp began.

Rather than returning home to Minnesota and then readjusting, the rookies were already familiar with the staff and the training regimen. The same coaches who trained them all summer would also lead their camp practices. O’Neill observed that the continuity helped the rookies acclimate faster.

“There’s more confidence. You have comfortability. You don’t have that – – you know when it’s the first day of school, and you’re coming back? You’re kind of a little uneasy. It’s like, no, you’ve been here, you’ve been working out,” he explained to Barr and Kendricks.

The Payoff Could Show Up in 3 Weeks

Now, the fun part. O’Neill wasn’t talking about some stuffy theory. He actually observed the trio of rookies. They looked more comfortable because their summer never really ended. It helps explain why players like Banks and Orange might seem further along than expected, even though they’re only a few weeks into their first NFL camp.

The Vikings’ first regular season game is about three weeks away, taking on the Green Bay Packers at home. It’s unclear if Banks, Orange, or Golday will start right away – – probably not, as they may have to earn it over time – – but all three should see snaps inside Brian Flores’s defense.

Minnesota has not had much luck drafting rookies since 2022, ranking near the bottom of the NFL in games started by first-year players in their rookie seasons. Players like Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth, Ed Ingram, Brian Asamoah, and Mekhi Blackmon just didn’t work out and no longer work for the Vikings.

The days of poor drafting habits could be over, and in fact, Minnesota is overdue to hit on a spectacular draft class.

Maybe it’s this one?

About The Author

Dustin Baker

Dustin Baker is the co-founder and editor of VikesNow, a novelist, a writer at CBS Sports, and a political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders, is out now, along with his debut thriller, The Motor Route. He hosts VikesNow on YouTube and has followed the Minnesota Vikings intently since 1996. Guilty pleasures include peanut butter ice cream, The Sopranos, Basset Hounds, and The Doors.

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