Injury concerns clouded Caleb Banks‘ draft stock, but the Florida defensive tackle will still find a first-round home. He will come off the board 18th overall, going to the Vikings.
Banks arrived in Gainesville via transfer portal after two years at Louisville. Stepping in as an immediate starter for the Gators, Banks played well in his first year in The Swamp. Banks really grabbed the attention of NFL evaluators in Year 2 at Florida, when he showed a new level of disruption as he recorded 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss.
Banks’ senior year was marred by a left foot injury that came about in spring practices. An aggravation of that injury just before the start of the 2025 season caused him to miss the first two games of the Gators’ season, then he reaggravated it upon his return, requiring surgery that would hold him out until the final two weeks of the season. To make matters worse, Banks injured the same left foot the night before the combine, forcing him into another surgery, this one holding him out until June.
Banks shows impressive athleticism for his size, and his elite, wide frame is the prototype for his position. Minnesota sees enough potential in that size to make up for a lack of production at the collegiate level. They’ll need him to take the summer to get healthy, but once healthy, they’ll need him to immediately start working to improve his conditioning. That area of his game has suffered late in games or deep into long drives.
The Vikings no longer roster Jonathan Allen or Javon Hargrave, so the door is wide open to a starting role on the defensive interior. If he can get healthy enough for his rookie season, he should slot in alongside former undrafted defensive lineman Jalen Redmond on the first-team defense.
Yowza. Crazy talented, but I would not take a 330 pound man who’s hurt the same foot more than once this high.