Florida DT Caleb Banks endears himself to defensive coordinators with explicit rant at 2026 NFL Scouting Combine

Every defensive coordinator is going to want Caleb Banks after his podium session at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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July 16, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks answers questions during SEC Media Days at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the more intriguing players in the NFL Draft is none other than Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks.

Standing at 6-6 and 330 lbs with 35″ arms, he has the rarest of rare profiles. He isn’t just big with long arms, but Banks has unreal explosiveness off the ball. He gets penetration quickly off the ball, and has a pass-rush bag better than most players who will play snaps at nose tackle. It’s what makes his profile so intriguing.

Caleb Banks has a quote that will get everyone fired up

The athletic and size profiles are great, but it’s not just about that. You need the right mentality to pair with it. In speaking to Banks at the Senior Bowl, he showcased that with his intelligence.

It’s not just about having the intelligence and football IQ; Banks has the mentality and desire to thrive in the NFL, especially on the interior. He gave an explicit answer that will get everyone fired up.

When you play on the interior, that’s the exact mentality you need to have. Banks has the want and desire to pair with his talent. Now, he does need to improve with some things, like leverage and developing pass rush counters, but those can be taught. You can’t teach mentality.

It was very reminiscent of a quote from Tennessee Titans DT T’Vondre Sweat at the Senior Bowl two years ago.

Banks is going to be a must-watch over the course of the NFL Scouting Combine. If he ends up testing out of this world, it’s going to be hard to project him outside of the top 10 picks. The one thing that will keep him out of that range is his injury history. Banks has missed significant time during his time in college, including nine games this past season with a foot injury. He played in Week 3 against the LSU Tigers and the final two games against the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida State Seminoles.

Needless to say, Banks just endeared himself to every coach with that line.

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