What Gators' Caleb Banks Could Bring to the Chie

The Kansas City Chiefs enter the offseason with high expectations remaining for the 2026 season. However, they must go through a retooling of their roster and a much-needed adjustment in offensive and defensive philosophy. Having the No. 9 overall selection could provide opportunities to do just that in this spring's NFL Draft.

The rest of the NFL may tremble in fear of who the Chiefs can draft with a Top-10 selection in the Patrick Mahomes era. That choice could turn things around on offense or defense, with today's focus being the latter, as Kansas City must look at adding true backfield penetrators such as Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks, who offers a unique range in this year's NFL Draft.

Overview of Caleb Banks

Banks Chiefs — Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88) comes up the fumble during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 16, 2024. The Gators defeated the Tigers 27-16. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] | Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Once a three-star recruit and high school standout from Detroit, Michigan, Banks was originally committed to play his collegiate career with Arizona State before flipping to Louisville, where he spent his first two seasons and redshirted his freshman season before transferring to Gainesville to play with the Gators in 2023. By 2024, Banks has made himself one of the most feared interior defensive linemen in the SEC.

However, last year, Banks missed spring practice and the first two regular-season games with a foot injury, later returning to face the LSU Tigers. Unfortunately, he reaggravated his foot injury and required surgery. Banks returned for the final three games of the regular season fully healthy in hopes of improving his draft stock ahead of the offseason, using the Senior Bowl as a pedestal.

Strengths

Banks Chief — Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88) causes a fumble as he strips the ball from LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 16, 2024. The Gators defeated the Tigers 27-16. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] | Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Banks has the potential to be one of the 10 best interior defensive linemen in the NFL, and there is a reason why. For someone who has been reported to measure in at six-foot-six, 330 pounds, Banks has impressive explosiveness and a riveting get-off that can overwhelm at the point of attack, allowing him to generate consistent penetration at the line of scrimmage off this trait alone.

You'll see ample pop and heavy hands at the point from Banks, allowing him to jolt linemen back and force them to anchor quickly in their sets to keep themselves from going completely off-balance. Banks has incredible quickness and agility for his size, where he can attack the outside shoulder with aggression, trusting his physical capabilities. With his size, Banks takes on combo blocks well and will split double teams with efficiency.

When Banks gets penetration in the backfield, he will force running backs off of their rushing track, with his high-end motor and pursuit skills making him a deadly run defender. When he gets his pads low, he creates ample leverage that allows him to control the point of attack.

There is something to build on as a pass rusher, showcasing a long arm, dip/rip to penetrate, swim moves, hand swipe, and clubs, along with the occasional bull rush that flashed in Mobile in team drills. Banks offers enough flexibility to turn the corner against half-man relations and get into the backfield to disrupt.

Weaknesses

Staying with his flashy rush ability, Banks has room to grow: while he may be violent in his hands and is quick at the point of attack, a secondary counter is lacking, and it can cause some stalemates in single-block rushes against true pass sets.

Because of his size and length, Banks will shoot upright out of his stance and compromise his chest, allowing blockers to gain control and move him around. His anchoring ability is inconsistent when his leverage is compromised, and disengagement can be a challenge on occasion.

There are also moments with Banks where he will suffer from a lack of discipline against the run because he plays with too much aggression, which causes him lose containment against ball carriers and mobile quarterbacks.

If Banks is to secure any hopes of a Day One selection this spring, his medicals will be a big talking point amongst teams after being riddled in 2025 with his nagging foot injury. It could mean the difference between being a Top-10 selection and waiting another day to hear his name called on draft weekend.

What Banks could bring to the Chiefs

Banks is a massive defensive lineman who flashes incredible explosiveness and a great get-off for his size, which allows him to overwhelm at the LOS, bringing ample pop, quickness, aggressiveness, and raw power at the point of attack. He flashed some impressive initial moves from his 2024 season, but showcased plentiful room for growth.

Banks must add more variety as a rusher, especially secondary counters, and his run-game discipline could improve overall. Banks has shown to be an incredible A/B-gap penetrator at the line of scrimmage, and this is likely to be his role early on if the Chiefs were to draft him in the first round.

Jones Chiefs — Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) gestures to teh crowd during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

However, Banks offers an incredible set of traits and tools to evolve at the next level that could allow him to be a great player at the next level under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, a similar case to a former second-round selection by the Chiefs in 2016, Chris Jones.

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