Now former Florida Gators star Caleb Banks has been called out for a very surprising concern.
Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks is widely viewed as one of the best interior defensive linemen in this upcoming NFL Draft class, and the general consensus is that he will be a first-round pick next month.
Of course, Banks comes with one major caveat: health issues.
The 6-foot-6, 330-pound defender suffered a broken foot in the early stages of the 2025 campaign and underwent surgery to repair it, limiting him to just three games. He then broke his foot yet again the night before the Scouting Combine and worked out without knowing about the injury.
Banks proceeded to undergo surgery for the second time in six months, which is definitely a red flag.
But are there any other concerns regarding Banks?
Well, Nate Tice and Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports seem to think so, and they highlighted it during their recent mock draft.
While Tice and McDonald predicted Banks to go 19th overall to the Carolina Panthers, they exposed a very surprising problem for the Detroit native: his tackling skills.
Caleb Banks. Credit: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images."Carolina adds some serious size to its defensive line here with the addition of Banks. He is a behemoth tackle with elite athleticism and sound technique to diagnose and defeat blocks — he just can’t tackle," Tice and McDonald wrote. "Now, that’s concerning, but his other traits are so dynamic and overwhelming that even marginal improvement in that problematic area would make him a plus starter in the NFL."
Not being able to tackle is a pretty major issue for a defensive lineman. It's more than just a little concerning. It's also strange given his massive size.
Banks' sample size of collegiate production is rather small.
He began his career at Louisville in 2021 and spent two years there, barely playing before transferring to Florida in 2023.
During his second season with the Gators, Banks registered 21 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, which represents his most productive NCAA campaign.
In total, Banks accumulated 48 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, so again, there really isn't much there.
Everyone is simply basing their thoughts off of Banks' size and tremendous athleticism, which should bode well for him on the professional level.
But his tackling issue could pose a significant hurdle for him.
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