Caleb Banks put together his best week of football at the right time and Florida fans should be excited about his future.
The 6-foot-5, 340-pound defensive tackle was a menace all week during Senior Bowl practices and when gameday arrived he continued to be a problem. Banks finished the game with a half sack and showed the kind of explosive speed and strength from the inferior that NFL scouts covet.
It's no surprise that Banks draft stock has improved in the Mock Drafts coming out of the game. The Gators big man on defense appears in the top 10 Ryan Wilson's recent mock draft with CBS Sports, being selected ninth overall by the Kansas City Chiefs.
When Caleb Banks' pad level is sound, there's almost no stopping him. Watch how much he resets the contact point on the 1st rep. Alien levels of power capacity, then the fearsome rip-down & swim.
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) January 30, 2026
On the 2nd rep, his quickness alone is too much to handle. Clear Round 1 talent. pic.twitter.com/ZqJ4Vcqltb
Wilson said that Banks was nearly unstoppable during his week in Mobile:
"At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds with 35-inch arms, Banks is surprisingly explosive for his size, playing with power, juice and a nonstop motor," Wilson wrote. "A foot injury sidelined him for parts of the 2025 season, but he took part in all three Senior Bowl practices and was pretty much unblockable on every rep. If he's fully healthy, he has top-10 ability."
Caleb Banks shoots into the top 10 after Senior Bowl
Banks missed several games this season with the foot injury and his production took an expected dip, recording just six tackles and a fumble recovery. When Banks was healthy in 2024, he put together an outstanding season with 21 tackles and 4.5 sacks. It's clear that so much of his best football is ahead of him and whichever team drafts him will be the beneficiary of a player that's just scratching the surface of what he can offer.
With the Senior Bowl behind him, Banks is now one of the big names to watch heading into the NFL Combine, so we'll see what he decides to do in terms of working out and how he represents himself in one-on-one interviews with prospective suitors. It promises to be a very exciting time for Banks.