Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks impressed at the NFL Combine. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

What to Know After Gators DL Caleb Banks' Pre-Combine Injury is Revealed

Originally posted on Florida Gators on SI | By Cam Parker | Last updated Mar 12, 2026 7:16 PM ET

After an injury-riddled end to his career with the Florida Gators, defensive lineman Caleb Banks was looking to begin his career in the NFL. Instead, he will begin it with an injury setback suffered the night before the NFL Combine.

According to The Athletic NFL Draft Analyst Dane Brugler, Banks, a potential first-round pick in the NFL Draft, suffered a broken foot on the night before his on-field testing and underwent surgery on March 9. Despite the injury, Banks performed a partial workout at the combine but did not know the extent of his injury until after.

NFL teams have been made aware of his injury, which will sideline him until June, Brugler added.

Sources: DT Caleb Banks suffered a broken foot at the Combine that will sideline him until June.

The injury happened the night before his on-field testing. He performed a partial workout not knowing the extent of the injury. The fracture of the fourth metatarsal was surgically…
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) March 12, 2026

The latest injury is the latest setback for Banks, who has battled a foot injury since the FSU game during the 2024 season. That first injury forced him to miss the bowl game and all of spring camp in 2025. He re-injured his foot during fall camp, which forced him to miss the first two games of the season, before having another injury in the Week 3 loss to LSU.

He went on to miss the next seven games after undergoing surgery but returned to Florida's final two games of the season against Tennessee and Florida State.

In three seasons at Florida, Banks recorded 46 total tackles with 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

At the combine, and despite his newly revealed injury, Banks impressed both in interviews and in workouts, having one of the most viral quotes of the combine during media interviews before putting up impressive numbers on the field.

Asked about his main selling point to teams on why they should pick him, Banks emphasized that he is a team guy who handles his business. On a follow-up question, Banks did little to hide his personality and competitiveness.

"I just put my head down and I just go run through a motherf***er's face," Banks said.

On the field, the 6-foot-6.25 and 327-pound prospect ran a 5.04-second 40-yard dash with a 32-inch vertical and nine-foot-six-inch broad jump, all while on a broken foot. His combine performance also came after an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl.

“He was one of the most dominant players in Mobile this week, and if everything clicks at the next level, he could be one of the headliners of the class a few years down the road,” NFL analyst Ryan Fowler, who was in attendance for the event, told Florida Gators on SI.

HT: 98th percentile
WT: 89th percentile
Hand: 94th percentile
Arm: 94th percentile
Wingspan: 99th percentile (longest at the Combine for DTs since 1999)

God don't make many of 'em like Caleb Banks https://t.co/Q5DHt6lGhM
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) February 26, 2026

It is unclear at this time how this latest injury will affect Banks' draft stock. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Steve Muench, Jordan Reid and Field Yates all had Banks as a top-five defensive tackle in the draft, with Miller ranking Banks as high as the No. 2 defensive tackle.

The 2026 NFL Draft will be held from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.

This article first appeared on Florida Gators on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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