The Los Angeles Chargers have won two of their last five games after starting the 2025 NFL season on a three-game win streak.
LA is currently fighting for a wildcard spot with a loaded AFC West division. The Bolts are 3-0 when playing divisional opponents this season, helping them in the race to make the playoffs.
Justin Herbert has been the life of the team as he leads the league with 2,140 passing yards and is tied for the third most passing touchdowns with 16.
The future of the Bolts is heavily reliant on the offense, with Herbert, players on his offensive line and the offensive weapons.
One NFL Draft analyst released a mock draft with the Chargers selecting a defender in the first round to head the defensive front.
Chargers Select SEC Defensive Lineman
GettyFlorida defensive lineman Caleb Banks
The Chargers’ defensive line has been lackluster this season, especially from the interior.
The top 10 leading tacklers for the Bolts come from the linebacker (not EDGE rusher) or secondary group, with the first defensive interior being Justin Eboigbe, who has 18 tackles through eight games.
CBS Sports’ Cooper Petagna has the Chargers selecting Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks with the 21st pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Banks played just one game this season before going down with a foot injury against LSU, but his physical profile still jumps off the page. At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, the Florida native brings rare size, power, and versatility for an interior defender,” Petagna wrote. ”
“When healthy, he’s flashed the kind of disruptive presence that can take over games. There’s some risk here — but the upside is intriguing enough for Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter to bet on.”
Caleb Banks Has Been Injured
GettyCaleb Banks with the Florida Gators #88
As Cooper Petagna mentioned in his mock draft, Caleb Banks has only played one game for the Florida Gators this season.
Banks is dealing with a foot injury that required surgery, which has kept him out of multiple games this season and appears unlikely to return without a clear timeline.
Despite not playing much this season, Banks has done enough to impress Petagna and possibly other scouts to be considered a top pick of the 2026 draft.
In his first season with the team, he recorded 19 tackles and one sack. In Banks’ second season in Florida, he registered 4.5 sacks and 21 tackles.
Before transferring, Banks played his first two collegiate seasons with Louisville. The defense interior only featured in seven games for the Cardinals before receiving more snaps with the SEC team.
The defensive lineman had the hype around to have a good fifth and final collegiate season before suffering his injury, but that isn’t a cause for concern for scouts to think about using a first-rounder on the Banks.
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