Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks has found his new home. Banks was drafted 18th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday.

A towering 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, Banks was ranked in the top 5 of his position group going into the draft. The Vikings defense finished 3rd best in the NFL, allowing 32 touchdowns while giving up an average of 282.6 yards per game. 

Banks started his career at Louisville before transferring to Florida before the 2023 season, finishing his time as Gator with 48 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, but it wasn’t always easy. 

Late into the 2024 season, Banks showed his physicality and dominance against the Ole Miss Rebels. He finished with four total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Banks entered his senior season as the anchor for the Gators defensive line. 

However, injuries derailed his final season at Florida, which added questions around his draft position. His talent was never in doubt, but the injuries stacked up. 

After injuring his foot in fall camp, Banks missed the first two games of the season, before making his return against the LSU Tigers on Sept. 13, 2025. In his season debut, he reinjured his foot and only played three games on the year for Florida. In the offseason, Banks broke his foot during the Scouting Combine. 

Regarding Bank’s foot injury, teams received a letter Wednesday stating Banks is on pace to be fully cleared for football activities in early June, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.