Florida Gators' Caleb Banks Lands Massive NFL Draft Prediction

Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks is suddenly one of the most popular names heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, and for good reason.

Banks stands 6-foot-6, weighs 330 pounds and is a freakish athlete, even drawing comparisons to Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones.

Initially viewed as a Day 2 pick, Banks has now established himself as a first-round talent in mock draft circles, and Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports continued the trend in his latest mock draft.

Fornelli has Banks going to the Baltimore Ravens at No. 14 and is clearly enamored with Banks' talent.

"It's a matter of personal preference, but when it comes to interior defensive linemen in this class, I don't know that anybody has as high a ceiling as Caleb Banks, which makes him worth betting on," Fornelli wrote. "He played in only three games in 2025, but when you go through the tape, you see flashes of eye-popping plays. The question will be whether those flashes turn into more consistent production."

Banks missed most of 2025 with a foot injury, and he actually doesn't even have much of a track record outside of that.

He spent his first three seasons at Louisville before transferring to Florida in 2024. Banks certainly had a terrific debut campaign with the Gators, racking up 21 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, putting himself on the map as a legitimate NFL prospect in the process.

But overall, Banks amassed a grand total of 48 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks over the course of five collegiate campaigns, so NFL teams really don't have much of a sample size to work with when it comes to making a determination on him.

With Banks, it's more about his physical attributes and his raw talent than anything else, and there are plenty of teams that would take a chance on him because of those factors.

Of course, that also makes the 22-year-old a risky pick, especially considering that he underwent foot surgery this past season.

If Banks puts together a strong showing at the Scouting Combine, it may very well clinch his status as a Day 1 pick this April.

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