The first Florida player off the board of this year's NFL Draft isn't any surprise.
Defensive lineman Caleb Banks was selected in the first round with the No. 18 pick by the Minnesota Vikings. He was the first defensive lineman off the board.
Banks spent three seasons with the Gators after transferring from Louisville following the 2022 season.
In 2023, he started 11 games, recording 19 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. However, Banks truly broke out in 2024. In ten starts that season, Banks racked up 7 TFL's, 4.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
Notably, Banks dominated during the first two victories of UF's four-game winning streak to end the season against LSU and Ole Miss. First, Banks had seven QB pressures, a sack and a fumble recovery against the Tigers, before recording 3.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.5 sacks and a pass-break-up against the Rebels.
Heading into the 2025 season, Banks was a projected first-round pick by multiple experts. But injuries plagued his final season in Gainesville. In only three games, he recorded six tackles, a TFL and a fumble recovery.
After a strong Senior Bowl in January, Banks re-aggrivated the foot injury that kept him out of most of the season at the NFL Draft Combine in February.
However, on Wednesday, Banks sent a letter to NFL teams, stating he is "on pace to be fully cleared for full football activities in early June," per ESPN. Banks had surgery March 9 on his left foot.
With assumed health heading into his rookie season, the 6-foot-6, 327-pounder will look to make an instant impact on the Vikings defense.
He is expected to step into a contributing role alongside veteran Jalen Redmond. Last season, the Vikings went 9-8.
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X @maxbernstein23.
Max Bernstein is a fourth-year sports and media journalism major and sports management minor, and is the Summer 2026 Digital Managing Editor at The Alligator. Now in his eighth semester with The Alligator, Max previously served in roles including Sports Editor, Assistant Sports Editor and Football Reporter. He has also made appearances on the Paul Finebaum Show. In the rare moments Max isn't working, he's usually with his girlfriend Reese, watching sports with his fraternity brothers or missing his family and his two cats.
