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Mel Kiper ranks two Florida Gators among top 10 at their positions

IMG_6615by: Blake Alderman10/14/25Blake_Alderman
Caleb Banks, Florida
© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Seven weeks of the college football season have come and gone. While there are several weeks left of the season, there is enough data and film out there for scouts, media, and NFL teams to start forming their big board of top draft-eligible players. ESPN’s Mel Kiper released his personal big board comprised of the top draft-eligible players to date on Tuesday. There weren’t any Florida Gators named among those top 25 players overall. However, Kiper also shared his breakdown of the top 10 players at each position, which did include a pair of Gators.

Two Florida Gators named as top 10 players at their positions

– Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks

Where ESPN ranked him: No. 3 defensive tackle
Current Stats: Injuries have kept Banks out this season. He made his 2025 season debut against LSU, but exited that contest after reaggravating that same lower-body injury. Banks has not played since the loss to LSU, and has not accounted for any stats this season. He did log 21 tackles (7 TFL), 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and recovered a fumble in the 2024 season.

Caleb Banks was a three-star recruit in the class of 2021. Banks was ranked the 990th-ranked prospect and the 98th-ranked edge rusher in that cycle. Initially, he’d attend Louisville before transferring to Florida before the 2023 season. Banks was considered a first-round NFL draft pick before the 2025 season by most publications. Kiper still considers him one of the top defensive tackles in the current draft class. However, the lack of film in his final year could potentially hurt his draft stock.

– Florida Gators offensive center Jake Slaughter

Where ESPN ranked him: No. 8 interior offensive lineman
Current Stats: Slaughter has started in each game of the season at center with an overall pass-block grade of 85.2 according to PFF.

Another Florida Gators draft-eligible player. Slaughter has also appeared in some NFL Mock Drafts as a potential first-round pick ahead of the season. Slaughter has made 27 starts for the Florida Gators and was a first-team All-American after the 2024 season. In that season, Slaughter was the highest-rated Florida offensive player according to PFF. He was also the highest-rated Florida offensive lineman in pass block and run block grades per PFF. So far this season, Slaughter has yet to give up a sack to opposing teams. Kiper is higher on a few other interior linemen at this point, but does consider Slaughter to be one of the top interior linemen in this draft-eligible class.

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