The Athletic's 2026 NFL Draft rankings feature 4 Gators

As the Florida Gators gear up for spring practice, several players from last season’s team are preparing for the NFL Draft, which is in April. And this week, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has placed four former UF standouts on his list of the top 100 prospects in this year’s class.

They are:

No. 24: Caleb Banks, DL: Brugler: “Yes, Banks missed most of the 2025 season because of an injury and is still learning how to maximize his talent. But It is hard to find 6-foot-6, 335-pound athletes with 35-inch arms and Banks’ level of ability. Teams liked seeing him get better and better throughout Senior Bowl week.”

No. 73: Devin Moore, CB: Brugler: “An impressive size-speed athlete, Moore didn’t have the college career many expected, primarily because of injuries. However, his presence grew on the NFL radar during a healthy 2025 campaign. He plays with patience and control to stay on top of routes, both underneath and vertically.”

Former Gators center Jake Slaughter might be the best center in the draft

No. 83: Jake Slaughter, C: Brugler: “Arguably the top center in the class, Slaughter knows how to lose slowly in pass pro and get angles blocked in the run game. He is a “do your job” type of guy, and his veteran makeup will be attractive for teams in the center market.”

No. 86: Austin Barber, OT: Brugler: “Whether he stays outside as a swing tackle or moves to guard, Barber can provide valuable depth along an NFL offensive line. He passes the eye test with his long frame and adequate muscle mass, and he’s an athlete with a basketball background.”

Banks, who is considered a strong candidate to be a first-round draft pick, recently turned heads at the Panini Senior Bowl with his performances in practice. He also recorded 1 tackle, 0.5 sacks and 0.5 tackles for loss in the game.

Wrote Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports: “For all the concerns this fall about the lack of depth along the defensive line, that group slowly but surely continues to make its case — including what we saw last week at the Senior Bowl from Florida’s Caleb Banks and Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter. At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds with 35-inch arms, Banks is surprisingly explosive for his size, playing with power, juice and a nonstop motor. A foot injury sidelined him for parts of the 2025 season, but he took part in all three Senior Bowl practices and was pretty much unblockable on every rep. If he’s fully healthy, he has top-10 ability.”