Caleb Banks Letting His Competitiveness Do the Talking Ahead of NFL Draft

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- As he did for most of his senior season, Caleb Banks watched from the sidelines as his now-former Florida Gators teammates worked out in from of scouts and personell from all 32 NFL teams during the program's annual Pro Day.

Riding around on a scooter as he recovers from another foot surgery – the result of a pre-combine foot injury in which he suffered a crack in his fourth metatarsal – Banks is letting his personality shine for the time being.

He also made it clear that he does not believe his draft stock will suffer too much as he undergoes an eight-to-twelve-week recovery.

"I don't really think too much about that," he said on Thursday. "I'm staying grounded, like, it happened, it happened. My story's already written. I'm kind of just taking it day by day. Wherever I land, that's where I'm supposed to land. So I'm not too bothered by it."

Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88) speaks to the media during Pro Day. | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Entering his senior season, Banks was considered one of the top defensive linemen in the entire 2026 NFL Draft, but a foot injury at the end of 2024, another in fall camp and another in the Week 3 loss to LSU limited him to just three games as a senior. Most would be disheartened. Banks was fired up.

Florida was already ineligible for a bowl game when he returned in its loss to Tennessee. He could have sat out of its season-finale against Florida State, but the chance to play spoiler against a rival while also finishing out his career with his teammates was too good an opportunity to pass up.

That same competitive nature led to one of the more impressive outings during the Senior Bowl week and during the NFL Scouting Combine. Little did anyone know that he broke his foot the night before running a 5.04-second 40-yard dash with a 32-inch vertical and nine-foot-six-inch broad jump.

"Yeah, that's pretty good, huh?" Banks said.

His off-the-field personality shone on Thursday, as well.

Asked about his biggest takeaway from meeting with teams?

"It's fun until you gotta fly. I don't like airplanes," he said.

Asked about if he has a preferred team he wants to play for?

"I don't care where it is, XFL, NFL, I don't care," he said. "I want to get off this damn scooter and go play football."

Back to the competitive nature, though.

During the combine, Banks had a viral moment where he said he would "put my head down and I just go run through a mother****er's face," when asked about how he handles his business on the field. That competitiveness has him standing out from the sidelines as teams ponder whether or not to take a chance on Banks in the draft despite his injury history.

He made sure to emphasize it again on Thursday.

"I'm a big guy to compete all the time, no matter what it is," Banks said. "Rock, paper, scissors. I'll play one of y'all right now. I promise you I'm gonna win."

Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks (DL02) runs the 40-yard dash on a broken foot during the NFL Scouting Combine. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There's still the foot, though.

Banks detailed the latest injury, saying he felt a pop the night before his session at the combine and initially thought it was a "muscle injury." He felt it again after running his first 40-yard dash. After pushing through his second attempt and trying the other drills, he decided to sit out due to the discomfort.

As of now, Banks says he will be back in time for OTAs in June.

"I'm not thinking too much about it. I'm not even asking," Banks said of his conversations with teams regarding his injury. "Teams are telling me, like, 'You're a great player,' and all that type of stuff. But I'm just, I'm not really thinking too much about that type of stuff right now."

While he is confident in himself, the truth is that it remains to be seen where he will be drafted.

Before his latest injury, Banks was considered a surefire first-round pick despite missing most of 2025. Now, it is not a guarantee, even with NFL.com's Chad Reuter having Tampa Bay select him at No. 15 overall. ESPN's Field Yates has Banks taken at No. 43 overall by Indianapolis

Banks said he has already done 30 Visits – NFL teams are allowed to host up to 30 prospects for a visit before the draft – with the Chiefs, Ravens and Cardinals, and has visits lined up with the Lions, Titans, Broncos, Falcons and Chargers.

As of now, no specific team stands out to Banks, but one to watch will be Detroit, Banks' hometown team. In the meantime, he doesn't care which team takes him. He is just looking forward to hearing his name called.

“It will mean everything for me. Honestly. It's gonna mean a lot," he said. "Been through a lot. Dealing with the injury and everything, coming from where I came from at Louisville and in Detroit. It’s definitely going to mean a lot to me.”