A towering defensive lineman with a record-setting wingspan, Caleb Banks became Florida's first first-round pick since 2024 when Minnesota selected him 18th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Caleb Banks transferred from Louisville to Florida and developed into one of the country's most disruptive interior pass rushers before a foot injury clouded his final college season. Minnesota still used the 18th overall pick on him in the 2026 NFL Draft, banking on his rare length and pressure ability once healthy.
Path to the league
A Detroit, Michigan native out of Southfield High School, Banks originally committed to Arizona State before signing with Louisville, where he redshirted in 2021. He transferred to Florida ahead of the 2023 season and started for two years before a foot injury limited his 2025 season, which included surgery and a fracture at the NFL Combine. The Vikings selected him 18th overall in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, making him Florida's first first-round pick since Ricky Pearsall in 2024.
Career highlights
Banks broke out in 2024 at Florida, producing 21 tackles, including seven for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a team-leading 29 quarterback pressures. At 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds with a 7-foot-1¾ wingspan, the longest measured at the NFL Combine since 1999, he offered a rare combination of size and length for an interior lineman.
2025 season recap
Banks' final season at Florida was cut short by a foot injury sustained in training camp, which required surgery and limited him to a reduced role before he further fractured the foot at the NFL Combine. Despite the injury concerns, Minnesota selected him with the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, betting on his 2024 tape and rare physical tools.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Caleb Banks (American football)
- Vikings.com: Caleb Banks draft profile
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive Tackle
- Group
- defense
- College
- Florida
- Hometown
- Detroit, MI, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
