EAGAN, Minn. — Not one, not two, but three former Bearcats in the Vikings linebackers room.
Minnesota selected former Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday with the 51st overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night, providing Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores another puzzle piece after the team drafted former Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks at 18 on Thursday.
View photos of Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday who was selected No. 51 overall in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Golday joins a Vikings linebackers room that also includes former Bearcats Eric Wilson and Ivan Pace, Jr.
Golday began his college career at Central Arkansas and played his final two seasons at Cincinnati. He recorded 105 tackles (39 solo), including six for a loss, 3.5 sacks, three passes defended and a forced fumble in 2025, and was named a First-Team All-Big 12 after being Honorable Mention All-Big 12 in 2024.
A native of Arlington, Tennessee, the 22-year-old Golday was rated by The Athletic's Dane Brugler as the 48th overall prospect and fourth off-ball 'backer. ESPN's Matt Miller and Jordan Reid tabbed Golday as the 67th and 49th player this year and seventh and sixth linebacker, respectively (the lists for Miller and Reid included No. 5 overall pick Arvell Reese as a LB instead of an edge rusher, by the way).
Golday was listed on his NFL.com profile at 6-foot-4 1/2 and 239 pounds. He posted a 4.62 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine and a 39-inch vertical jump; the latter ranked fifth among linebacker participants.
Golday spent time with Minnesota coaches and scouts during a Top 30 visit earlier this month. He is now the second alumnus from Arlington High School (TN) to play in the NFL. The first was recently crowned Super Bowl LX MVP and even more recently signed a deal with the Chiefs in free agency — running back Kenneth Walker III. They were HS teammates for two seasons.
Minnesota's LBs room now features Golday, Wilson and Pace, as well as starting "green dot" Blake Cashman.
Vikings history in NFL Draft
Golday is the third player ever picked out of Cincinnati by Minnesota, following defensive back Robert Tate in the sixth round (183rd overall) in 1997, and running back Hobson Milner in the 12th round (318th overall) in 1982.
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