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What they're saying about Caleb Banks' Senior Bowl showing

On3 imageby: Keith Niebuhr02/02/26NiebuhrOn3

Four Florida Gators took part in the Panini Senior Bowl on Saturday, and the practices leading up to the game, but defensive tackle Caleb Banks was the one who had folks buzzing the most. While offensive tackle Austin Barber, EDGE Tyreak Sapp and center Jake Slaughter also competed, it seems Banks not only had the most eyes on him but had the best week.

Below is a sampling of what was said about Banks, who recorded 1 tackle, 0.5 sacks, 0.5 tackles for loss in Saturday’s game.

What they’re saying about Caleb Banks

*”And 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.” — Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports

*”Banks was one of the stars of one-on-one drills, part of an incredibly deep group of defensive linemen and edge rushers in this year’s game. And unlike many of his counterparts, he stayed in town and played on Saturday.” —  Creg Stephenson, AL.com

*”Banks answered the biggest question surrounding his week with his best performance. After a rough start, the Florida defensive tackle showed improved quickness and finishing ability on Day 3. He won multiple one-on-one reps as a pass-rusher, picked up a sack during team drills, and held his ground against the run. Banks reminded scouts why his size and upside remain intriguing at the next level.” — Sam Kirk, SB Nation

*”Jim Harbaugh is apparently already enamored with one potential prospect, as he—and pretty much everyone else—watched Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks put on a show at Senior Bowl practice on Friday. For those unfamiliar, Banks spent his first two collegiate seasons at Louisville, redshirting the first after appearing in just one game, and transferred to Florida ahead of the 2023 season. Between the ’23’ and ’24 campaigns, the 6-foot-6, 330-pounder certainly showcased his skill as a pass-rusher, tallying 53 pressures, but was solid against the run as well.

“He returned to Gainesville for a third season in 2025, but a foot injury limited him to just three games. But as Harbaugh witnessed in Mobile on Friday, Banks is clearly as healthy as can be, as the 22-year-old dominated the sessions in which he was involved, showcasing incredible explosiveness and power in front of the many, many NFL executives and coaches on hand.” — Luke Norris, Bolt Beat

*”After Tuesday’s session, I mentioned how Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks was a disappointment with a rough performance. However, he’s been much better during the final practice. Banks had a couple of quick wins as a pass-rusher in the one-on-ones and picked up at least one sack during the full team period. He also had a quality stop as a run defender during team.” — Matt Holder, Silver and Black Pride