Potential first-round draft pick Caleb Banks is at his best with both feet on the ground

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The NFL draft process has been excruciating for Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks. And it has nothing to do with his broken left foot or his cumbersome mobility scooter. The 6-foot-6, 327-pound Detroit native doesn’t like to fly. Not even a little. Takeoffs, landings, cramped seats, airline food — none of it appeals to the potential first-round draft pick who began his college career at Louisville. “The first 10 seconds of the flight are like the worst for me,” Banks said. “I put my headphones in, listen to some Rod Wave and just flow with it. But it’s really, really bad. I can’t explain it. It’s bad.” He’s nonetheless willing to deal with some physical, mental and emotional stress to make his childhood dream of playing in the NFL a reality. Banks is widely considered a first-round talent, but he cracked the fourth metatarsal in his left foot in February while practicing for the 40-yard dash the night before the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. He felt a pop but thought it was a muscle strain. He kept working and even showed up the next day for position drills. He ran the 40 in 5.04 seconds — faster than seven others at his position — but the pain intensified. His second attempt was slightly slower and brought more pain. He tried one more drill, realized something was seriously wrong and shut it down because he “didn’t want to put anything like that on film.” Tests confirmed what he already suspected — another injury to the same foot that caused him to miss games in 2023 and 2025. He had surgery in early March, his second in six months. “It wasn’t nothing too crazy,” said Banks, who expects to be fully healthy by the end of June. “They just went back in and repaired it, put a bigger plate in there, so I’m all good now.” Maybe so. But his injury history could cause NFL teams to pause when considering whether to call his name early in the draft. Banks, though, is taking a positive approach to the setback. “I don’t think it undercuts my value,” he said. “I don’t think that it did anything detrimental to my draft stock. I don’t really think too much about that, you know what I mean? I’m staying grounded. “Like, it happened, you know. My story’s already written, so I’m kind of just taking it day by day. Wherever I land, that’s where I’m supposed to land, so I’m not too bothered by it.” Banks played 34 collegiate games over five seasons, the first two at Louisville. He was at his best in 2024 with the Gators. He finished with 21 tackles, including 4 1/2 sacks and seven behind the line of scrimmage. He suggested anyone questioning his ability should watch his performance against Ole Miss in 2024. He was equally dominant in his 2025 season debut against LSU, a game in which he re-injured his foot late and missed the next two months, and in the Senior Bowl in January. He showed up at Florida’s pro day last month to cheer on former teammates and mingle with NFL scouts. “He could easily have just stayed home, done something else, but he decided to be here and show up for the guys,” Florida defensive end George Gumbs said. “I feel like that’s like a wholesome guy, a great guy and he kind of shows his character. Even though he’s going through something, he’s still going to show up and support his guys.” It helped that Banks didn’t have to get on a plane. He had top-30 visits with Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, the Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City, Tennessee and a few others. Of those, the flight to Baltimore was memorable for all the wrong reasons. “The plane was shaking. I got real nervous, like, ‘Oh man, hope this is not how it ends,’” Banks said. “I’m just going to pray.” Banks is preparing for another flight next weekend — to the team that takes a chance on him. “It will mean everything for me,” he said. “Been through a lot, dealing with the injury and everything, coming from where I came from at Louisville and Detroit. It’s definitely going to mean a lot to me.” \\\_ AP NFL: