Caleb Banks is bound to be one of the more fascinating prospects during this NFL Draft this week. While he missed the bulk of the year with Florida in 2025, a strong performance at the NFL Combine seemingly locked him in as a first-round pick on Thursday. Then it turned out he suffered an injury during the combine, which caused him to miss Florida’s Pro Day.
So for now, mock drafts have Banks anywhere from a mid-to-late first-round pick with various “big boards” starting to knock him down to a second-round pick.
Given that not every team is searching for a defensive tackle early in the draft, these are five destinations that would make the most sense for Banks to potentially land.
NFL Draft destinations for Caleb Banks
We are not actually hoping Banks lands with the Jets, as that feels like it would be cruel and unusual punishment, but the Jets are in need of virtually everything, and while we doubt Banks would get selected with the No. 2 overall pick, the Jets also hold the No. 16, No. 33, and No. 44 picks. No. 16 would be a tick higher than most mock drafts have Banks going, but if he falls, don’t be shocked to see the Jets swoop in at No. 33 to kick off the second round.
The Steelers are a team that really needs to start getting some youth along their defense. Even if Cameron Heyward opts to return for another season, he’ll be close to 38 years old by the time the 2026 season ends. Plus, the Steelers are right there at No. 21, and Banks should still be available if the Jets pass at No. 16.
The Bears are another team that will be looking to beef up in the trenches, and while they did select former Gator Gervon Dexter Sr. in the 2023 draft, they need more. Chicago was 29th in the NFL in yards per carry against, giving up 5.0 yards per carry in 2025. The Bears hold the No. 25 pick, one behind Cleveland at No. 24. But the belief is that the Browns want to target the offensive line and a wide receiver with their two first-round picks before they target the defensive line.
Another team with multiple first rounds picks, the defense for the Chiefs is a massive question mark heading into the 2026 campaign. Outside of Chris Jones it is set to be a roster of NFL guys the average fans wouldn’t get excited about if those players were on their team. So if Banks is avaiable at No. 29, he makes sense as a high upside pick for a unit that needs high upside players.
Houston doesn’t “need” immediate help at defensive tackle as most believe they will focus on their offensive line first. But if Banks starts to fall out of the first round and the Jets don’t take him at No. 33, the Texas get to pick at No. 38, two ahead of Kansas City in the second round. The prevailing wisdom is that if Banks is available at No. 38, he would be the perfect complementary piece for a defense that is looking to prove it is championship material.
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