Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks has been selected 18th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The selection continues Florida’s streak as one of three schools—and the only SEC program—to have at least one player selected in every NFL Draft since the common era began in 1967.
Banks is the Gators’ 26th defensive tackle selected in the common draft era. He is also the 29th Florida defensive player and 11th defensive lineman chosen since 2015. Banks is the 28th Gator selected in the first round since 2000, and the first since Ricky Pearsall in 2024.
The total production doesn’t jump out for a first-round pick, but the potential is clear for the 6-foot-6, 327-pound defensive tackle.
Banks’ dominance late in the 2024 season shot him up NFL Draft boards, as he wreaked havoc against LSU and Ole Miss, recording a combined 3.5 sacks and 14 pressures.
The Detroit native returned for his fifth year in 2025, but a foot injury limited him to just three games. He later impressed evaluators with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and tested well at the NFL Combine.
Banks broke his foot at the NFL Combine, which many believed could cost him a first-round selection. A letter sent to NFL teams the day before the draft stated that Banks was on pace for a full recovery and expected to be cleared for football activities in June.
WHAT THEY’RE GETTING IN BANKS
There’s not a ton of tape on Banks, but his size, strength, athleticism, and motor are traits you can’t teach. At 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, he has outstanding length and an extremely quick first step for the position.
The injury concerns are valid, but this selection comes with significant upside. Banks has the potential to develop into an elite interior pass rusher at the next level.