It's no secret that defensive tackle is one of the biggest needs Ian Cunningham has yet to fill this offseason. Da'Shawn Hand and Chris Williams aren't enough to contend with the loss of David Onyemata, especially with how much the Falcons' defense struggled in defending the run in 2025.
Thankfully, CBS Sports' Zachary Pereles offered two situations the Falcons should consider to fix that problem: one from free agency and one in next month's NFL Draft. He offered up a reunion with Calais Campbell, but that's a short-term fix, while his idea in the draft is something that fans should get behind.
Pereles pitched that the Dirty Birds should draft Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, who is one of the most impressive physical specimens in this draft class. They need a true nose tackle, and I can't think of someone better suited to fill that role than a 6-foot-6, 327-pound athletic freak from the SEC.
Caleb Banks would be the perfect defender for the Atlanta Falcons to take a risk on
The 23-year-old spent the last three seasons at Florida after transferring over from Louisville, where he spent his first two NFL seasons. After a 4.5-sack and seven tackle-for-loss 2024 season that established him as one of the nation's best DTs, injury limited Banks to just three games in 2025.
Banks injured his foot in Gators' training camp and missed most of the season but returned near the end. However, he suffered another foot injury at the combine in which he broke his fourth metatarsal, and the surgery and recovery for which will sideline him through June, meaning he'd miss most offseason workouts, including rookie minicamp.
It's no guarantee that Banks will even be available when the Falcons are on the clock at pick 48, as before the injury, he was regarded as a likely first-round pick, and it's only the medicals that are pushing him down the draft board. Some people have Banks as their DT1 in the class though, even with these red flags.
The question is if Banks is worth taking a flier on knowing he'll be sidelined for a good chunk of the summer. If you ask me, my vote is yes, because the Falcons have a major need at nose tackle, so if Jeff Ulbrich's defense wants to improve at defending the run, they need to add an enforcer like Banks.
I know Atlanta already has the trio of Brandon Dorlus, Ruke Orhorhoro, and Zach Harrison, but Harrison is a potential trade candidate and Orhorhoro's development is still very much a work in progress, so Banks would be the perfect complement to Dorlus, who excels as a pass-rushing DT.
Clearly Kevin Stefanski doesn't mind taking risks in his roster-building approach, so if Banks is still available when Atlanta is picking in the middle of the second round, they better run that pick up to the podium. It isn't often the Falcons can nab a first-round guy on Day 2, so don't be scared by medicals.