This Florida Gators star has seen his NFL Draft stock take a big hit.
About a month ago, Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks was the talk of the upcoming NFL Draft class.
Initially viewed as a Day 2 pick, Banks' stock rose considerably thanks to a tremendous showing at the Senior Bowl, and there were even some tabbing him as a top-10 selection. In fact, the Kansas City Chiefs became a popular destination at No. 9.
Banks then performed at the Scouting Combine and cut his workout short midway through, but what we did see was impressive.
But now, things have changed rather drastically.
It was recently revealed that Banks actually suffered a broken foot the night before the Combine and had to undergo surgery to repair it earlier this month.
That marked the second time Banks had undergone foot surgery over the last half year, as he also sustained a broken foot early in the 2025 college football season.
Banks' gargantuan size (6-foot-6, 327 pounds) makes his foot injuries that much more concerning, as he has to carry a whole lot of weight around.
While there are some who still view the Florida product as the best defensive tackle in this year's class, his stock has understandably taken a bit of a hit.
Caleb Banks. Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images.In a recent mock draft conducted by The Athletic, Banks slipped all the way to No. 48, where he was projected to land with the Atlanta Falcons.
"Nobody loves big people with foot injuries, but Banks’ potential at a premium position and a top-line need for Atlanta makes [Dane] Brugler’s No. 24 player too hard to pass up here," Josh Kendall of The Athletic wrote. "Banks fractured a bone in his foot during the combine, and he played only three games in his final season at Florida because of a foot injury, but he is expected to be ready for training camp. When the 6-6, 327-pounder arrives, he’s bringing 35-inch arms and a 32-inch vertical jump with him."
Banks' talent may be tantalizing, but he also doesn't have a very large sample size of collegiate production.
The 23-year-old began his career at Louisville in 2021 and barely played for the Cardinals before transferring to Florida in 2023.
During his second season with the Gators, Banks registered 21 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. That was pretty much the extent of his production on the NCAA level, which, coupled with his recent injury history, could scare some NFL teams away.
But there is also the chance that Banks gets healthy and develops into an absolute terror in the pros.
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