Florida football defensive lineman Caleb Banks is projected to be slotted in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft, according to ESPN’s latest three-round NFL mock draft.
ESPN draft analyst Field Yates has Banks being selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the No. 48 overall pick in the upcoming draft this April. It’s not a major projection change by ESPN, as in their last mock draft, they had Banks being selected at No. 47 by the Indianapolis Colts.
But, Banks could very well be selected in the first round, as USA TODAY Sports had him going to the Houston Texas at No. 28 overall.
Based on the endless amount of NFL mock drafts, Banks has a realistic chance of landing anywhere from the back end of the first round to the front half of the second round. The main concern for teams is Banks’ health, because he barely saw any time on the field for the Gators last season.
“Atlanta’s first pick is a big swing on Banks, who has top-20 talent but was limited to just 90 snaps in 2025,” Yates wrote. “He recently underwent foot surgery and is expected to be shelved from full football activity until June.”
At 6-foot-6-inches tall and 330 pounds, Banks’ size can cause havoc when he’s lined up in the trenches. In 2025, he totaled 21 tackles (10 solo) including seven tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a recovered fumble.
Because his 2026 season was cut short due to injury, Banks’ draft stock went down after being projected a high-first round pick prior to the start of the season.
Banks participated in the NFL draft combine and impressed scouts, recording a 40-yard dash time of 5.04 seconds, a 32-inch vertical jump and a 114-inch broad jump.
If Banks can stay healthy, and that may be a big “if”, there’s no doubt that he’d create a positive impact for the team he ends up playing for in the NFL.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: ESPN slots Florida football’s Caleb Banks in second round of NFL draft
Reporting by Aidan Gallardo, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
