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Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks' journey to become an early Day 1 selection in the 2026 NFL draft took a giant leap forward this week after a sturdy showing at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Despite an injury-ravaged final season at Florida, Banks' value as a high-impact interior lineman at the professional level hasn't lost its shine. In fact, in the latest post-combine mock draft from USA TODAY Sports, Banks is projected at No. 14 overall pick to the Baltimore Ravens. Prior to the combine, he was slated with a mid-to-late first-round pick grade.
Baltimore dealt with an injury-marred season of its own in 2025, burdened with nicks along the defensive front — including Pro Bowl tackle Nnamdi Madubuke, who only managed to see two regular-season games this fall.
Banks is exactly the type of piece you can begin crafting a rebuild around. At 6-feet-6-inches, 327 pounds, the Detroit native is a rare combination of stature and physical traits. And the lineman's broken foot last year doesn't seem to be a concern for would-be takers.
"Banks is huge and talented with freaky movement skills but also a bit raw," the mock draft notes. Going on to say he is "the kind of player who could help new coach Jesse Minter re-establish Baltimore's historical defensive dominance."
Other Gators saw a change in fortune after displaying their abilities at Lucas Oil Stadium; center Jack Slaughter and corner Devin Moore are perceived as Day 3 candidates. Moore wowed scouts with a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, and Slaughter posted very good vertical and broad jumps.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Latest NFL mock draft places Florida football's Caleb Banks in top 15
Continue reading...
Despite an injury-ravaged final season at Florida, Banks' value as a high-impact interior lineman at the professional level hasn't lost its shine. In fact, in the latest post-combine mock draft from USA TODAY Sports, Banks is projected at No. 14 overall pick to the Baltimore Ravens. Prior to the combine, he was slated with a mid-to-late first-round pick grade.
Baltimore dealt with an injury-marred season of its own in 2025, burdened with nicks along the defensive front — including Pro Bowl tackle Nnamdi Madubuke, who only managed to see two regular-season games this fall.
Banks is exactly the type of piece you can begin crafting a rebuild around. At 6-feet-6-inches, 327 pounds, the Detroit native is a rare combination of stature and physical traits. And the lineman's broken foot last year doesn't seem to be a concern for would-be takers.
"Banks is huge and talented with freaky movement skills but also a bit raw," the mock draft notes. Going on to say he is "the kind of player who could help new coach Jesse Minter re-establish Baltimore's historical defensive dominance."
Other Gators saw a change in fortune after displaying their abilities at Lucas Oil Stadium; center Jack Slaughter and corner Devin Moore are perceived as Day 3 candidates. Moore wowed scouts with a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, and Slaughter posted very good vertical and broad jumps.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Latest NFL mock draft places Florida football's Caleb Banks in top 15
Continue reading...
