Latest news with #CalebBanks
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida football QB DJ Lagway speaks at 2025 SEC Media Days
It was the Florida Gators' turn at the podium on Wednesday afternoon in Atlanta during the 2025 SEC media days event, and among the members of the Orange and Blue to take the stage and field questions from the press was starting quarterback DJ Lagway. The topics on hand ranged from Lagway's offseason recovery from some nagging injuries to expectations for the upcoming campaign. He also discussed his relationship with the coaches and fellow team members, including fellow SEC media days representatives Jake Slaughter and Caleb Banks. Below is a look at an abridged transcription from Lagway's moment in the spotlight at the 2025 SEC media days event, focusing on his responses most germane to the Orange and Blue. Where are you looking to grow personally — whether a mechanical or mental perspective? "I'm definitely looking to improve on more coverage recognition and knowing where the defense is going to be and truly knowing their responsibilities and also knowing my teammates' responsibilities better." Last year, LSU came into the Swamp. You basically helped lead them with one good leg. What do you remember about that game? "I remember that whole week it was a lot of ups and downs mentally, just figuring out what's the plan going to be, if I'm going to even be able to be out there. But once we hit Thursday, it's time to lock in — we've got to go get this W, doesn't really matter. "Playing against a great LSU team, they were good last year. And I'm excited to go to Death Valley this year, and it's going to be fun." What were the most challenging things about getting on the field in the SEC as early in your career as you did? "I would say the most challenging thing was really just time management, going from being in high school and then going to SEC, big-time college football, it's a big difference. Especially where I'm from a little town,Willis, Texas, it's a big difference. "Once I got adjusted to that and adjusted to knowing the offense and knowing where my people were at, that's why I'm excited for this year because I know where my people are at. Now I can know where the defense is at and get better at that." What do you remember about that Texas A&M game? How much are you looking forward to playing this year at Kyle Field? "I'm definitely excited to go back play at Kyle Field. I've been in, like, a lot of games at Kyle Field. For me to be able to play in one that's going to be surreal, having all my family, my teammates, my classmates, my coaches, teachers all of them being at the game, it's going to be fun." As a freshman, most players don't come in thinking they have to kind of put the world on their shoulders. But when you were kind of thrust in there, that's exactly what happened. For sure. How much did speculation about Coach Napier and his job status actually impact you? "When I'm out there playing, I'm just thinking about playing ball. I'm worried about trying to figure out, my freshman year, trying to figure out where my guys were going. Every time I step on the field, that's when life just kind of stopped for me. It's, like, playing ball and just being just in the moment. "My biggest thing last year, I always wanted to get into some kind of flow state. Flow state is where you're just moving, it's just natural, everything happens naturally. That's where I wanted to be at every game." What is it like to play in front of the fans in the Swamp? "Words can't even explain it, playing in the Swamp. The fans bring it each and every Saturday. I'm just thankful to be a part of it, and be able to be in the Swamp, and they're rooting for us and chewing us and giving us that true advantage." How much confidence does your first-half performance against UGA last season give you going into this year's matchup? "It gives me a lot of confidence that, you know, it doesn't matter who really is out there. It's all about us. It's all about how we prepare and how we go out there and treat the week. "Watching that game, after I got hurt, it was the hardest thing. I hated that. I just wanted to be out there with my guys. That's all I want to do is just play football. Seeing that, it was hard. But definitely giving me the confidence for next year to go out there and play." Having guys like Jake and Caleb return, having that continuity with upperclassmen, does that raise internal expectations for you? "I'd say not expectations. We're not really worried about that. We're just worried about one day at a time and just loving on each other, getting better. That's really what it's about. And the brotherhood that we've built and the camaraderie that we have is just amazing. I'm excited just to showcase it to the world." How will Jadan Baugh play a role in the offense this season? "Jadan Baugh is a huge part of the offense. I'm excited for him. He's been working his tail off this offseason. He's definitely going to help us a lot this year." Aside from something like leadership, what do you think your best attribute is as a quarterback? Do you have anybody that you model yourself after? "My best attribute as a quarterback is really just — I'd say just my, as people would say, I guess my aura, confidence, and just the way I portray myself on game day. My teammates always joke around about, like, they say that I'm a totally different person on game day. It kind of oozes out of me. And it's just great to be able to be that formy guys." Looking around the conference at some of the other quarterbacks, how would you evaluate the level of play at the quarterback position? "There's a lot of good quarterbacks in the SEC right now. It's just great to see, to be able to competeagainst some of them and to watch them further their careers and stuff like that down the road. I'm excited for them. Always praying for them." How do you manage the pressure of being the starting quarterback at UF, especially after the way you played last season? "I always say that pressure is a privilege. Once you have privilege, that means people are counting on you to do big things. I'm always excited when people say pressure. That's why I just love the game day atmosphere because it feels like all eyes are on you and you've got to put on a show. That's what I'm excited for." How do you internalize and handle that pressure? "The way I handle pressure and all that stuff, I kind of prepare during the week like crazy. And preparation leads to confidence. So once I get to Saturday, I already know that I put all the work in and did what I needed to do. And kudos to the coaching staff. "They prepare us like crazy, Coach O'Hara and Coach Napier, they put together a plan for the quarterbacks and the team in general. When we get out there, we already know what's going to happen, dang near. So it's great." How do you think your faith helps you as a leader, especially through the ups and downs of a typical football season? "I definitely say faith is a huge part of my life. Having God as the foundation has been wonderful because, as you said, there's a lot of ups and downs on the football field, even in life, but having that foundation tokeep me strong is beneficial." Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida Football: DJ Lagway answers questions at 2025 SEC Media Days
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida Makes Exciting DJ Lagway Announcement on Tuesday
Florida Makes Exciting DJ Lagway Announcement on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. With the calendar having turned to July over a week ago, the 2025 college football season is quickly approaching. The Florida Gators are less than two months away from their opening matchup of the year against the LIU Sharks, but before that, they will head to the 2025 SEC Football Media Days in Atlanta, Georgia. Advertisement The event is scheduled to take place July 14-17, with head coach Billy Napier and Florida speaking on July 15. On Tuesday, the Gators announced the three players who will be representing the team in Atlanta, as a pair of veterans and a budding star will head to the Peach State. Defensive lineman Caleb Banks and center Jake Slaughter, both of whom are redshirt seniors, will attend for Florida, along with phenom sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway. Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2).Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images Lagway is heading into his second season at UF in 2025. The dual-threat quarterback from Willis, Texas, was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 signal caller in his class coming out of high school, per 247Sports. He played in all 13 games as a freshman last year, making seven starts for the injured Graham Mertz. Advertisement In Mertz's absence, Lagway shined, going 6-1 as a starter, including a four-game winning streak to end the season. The 6-foot-3 quarterback threw for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2024, leading to a selection on the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-American Team. Banks, who is going into his fifth year in Gainesville, amassed 21 total tackles last year to go along with seven tackles-for-loss and 4.5 sacks. He also forced two fumbles and recovered another. Slaughter, who is the leader on Florida's offensive line at the center position, had one of the best seasons at his position in the country in 2024. As a team captain, Slaughter was an AP All-American First-Team selection, becoming just the third center in program history to earn the honor. With the leaders on offense and defense joining Napier on the podium at SEC Media Days next week, it will be interesting to see what they have to say about the upcoming season for the team as a whole and Lagway's sophomore campaign. Related: Florida Given High Praise in College Football Expert's Preseason Poll This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida football DL Caleb Banks named to Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
Florida football DL Caleb Banks named to Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List Florida football defensive lineman Caleb Banks has been named to the 2024 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, an honor that recognizes the nation's top defensive player who excels both on and off the field. Banks, a redshirt senior from Detroit, Michigan, is one of 42 student-athletes nationwide selected by the Lott IMPACT Trophy Board of Directors for consideration. The award–named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott–spotlights players who demonstrate Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. The Lott IMPACT Trophy winner will be announced in December during a nationally televised ceremony in Newport Beach, California. After transferring to the Florida Gators in 2023, Banks quickly became a force on the Gators' defensive line. In the 2024 season, he recorded 21 total tackles, including seven for loss and 4.5 sacks. Banks' disruptive presence up front earned him SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors following a dominant performance against the Ole Miss Rebels, where he notched 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also forced and recovered a fumble in Florida's win over the LSU Tigers, finishing the game with a career-high 64 snaps and the top PFF grade of his season. Off the field, Banks is a two-time member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll, underscoring his commitment in the classroom. His leadership, both vocally and by example, has made him a foundational piece of the Gators' defensive identity entering the 2025 season. Originally from Southfield A&T High School in Michigan, Banks joined the Orange and Blue after two seasons with the Louisville Cardinals. He is expected to play a significant role for Florida's defensive front this fall as the Gators look to make some noise in the SEC. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
01-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida football's Caleb Banks lands in top 5 of CBS Sports' 2026 NFL mock draft
Florida football's Caleb Banks lands in top 5 of CBS Sports' 2026 NFL mock draft Florida football defensive lineman Caleb Banks is drawing national attention as a top NFL prospect, earning the No. 4 overall spot in CBS Sports' early 2026 NFL mock draft released by Josh Edwards. Projected to the New York Jets, Banks is the first defensive tackle off the board in the mock–a clear sign of how much his stock has risen following an impressive 2024 season in Gainesville. The 6-foot-6-inch, 329-pound redshirt senior emerged as one of the SEC's most disruptive interior linemen last fall, finishing with 21 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery across 10 starts. Banks dominated down the stretch, generating seven quarterback pressures in back-to-back games against the LSU Tigers and Ole Miss Rebels, including a 3.5-tackle-for-loss, 2.5-sack explosion against the Rebels that earned him SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors. CBS Sports praised Banks' size, power and ability to "stack and shed", noting his upside as a game-wrecking presence in the middle of an NFL defense. If his 2025 season builds on last year's production, Banks could become Florida's first top-five defensive draft pick since Dante Fowler Jr. when the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him with the third pick in the 2015 NFL draft. For Billy Napier's Gators, Banks' rise is further proof of the staff's success in developing transfer talent–Banks arrived in Gainesville from Louisville ahead of the 2023 season–and adds another name to the program's growing list of early-round NFL hopefuls. Here is everything CBS Sports' Edwards wrote about Banks. What CBS Sports said about Banks "Banks is a taller prospect that throws his weight around. There is a stack and shed element to his game. After recording 4.5 sacks this past season, Banks will need to take his game to another level. The Jets had been linked to defensive tackles leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, but they did not select one this year." CBS Sports' top 5 picks in their 2026 NFL mock draft Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
01-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
SI projects Florida football DL Caleb Banks as a first-round pick in 2026 NFL mock draft
SI projects Florida football DL Caleb Banks as a first-round pick in 2026 NFL mock draft It is that time of year when it seems like everyone and their mother are releasing their mocks of the 2026 NFL draft — less than a week after the conclusion of the 2025 edition. Among those casting their dice on an event almost a full calendar year away is Sports Illustrated's Bryan Fischer, whose way-too-early 2026 NFL mock draft included one member of the Orange and Blue. That player is defensive lineman Caleb Banks, who spent his first two collegiate seasons with the Louisville Cardinals before transferring to Gainesville for the past pair of campaigns. Funny enough, Fischer projects Banks to be selected with the 17th pick by the Arizona Cardinals next April. "Banks flashed down the stretch last season and with some further polish could turn into a realistic option in the first round, given his size and excellent quickness," he notes. "Pairing him alongside Walter Nolen III could form quite the tandem for the Cardinals." Caleb Banks' 2024 stats with Florida The 6-foot-6-inch, 329-pound rising redshirt senior out of Detroit, Michigan, played in 12 games — making 10 starts — in 2024, recording 21 total tackles, 10 of which were solo. That includes seven tackles for a loss (4.5 as sacks) along with two forced fumbles and a recovered fumble, giving him a 73.0 overall grade on defense, according to PFF. Banks's efforts also earned him the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week award after Florida's Week 13 win over the Ole Miss Rebels. Off the field, he was named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll in both his seasons as a Gator. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
