Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas Longhorns: 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Position: Offensive Tackle

Date of Birth: March 10, 2004 (Age 20)

Height/Weight: 6'4", 320 lbs.

40 yard dash: 5.30 sec (unofficial)

Pass Blocking- 91

Run Blocking- 79

Discipline- 91

Kelvin Banks Jr. football background

Kelvin Banks Jr. went to Summer Creek High School in Texas. He earned a five-star recruit rating and initially decided to play college football at Oregon, turning down several offers from high profile schools which included Texas. Issues arose at Oregon which included the firing of their head coach, as such Banks changed his mind and eventually signed to play at the University of Texas deciding to play for his local school. 

In 2022, Banks earned Freshman All-American recognition after allowing only two sacks on 858 offensive snaps. In 2023, Banks earned honors including second-team All-America accolades, first-team All-Big 12 selection, and recognition as a Joe Moore Award semifinalist. He was a key player on the offensive line that propelled Texas into the College Football Playoff. He allowed only one sack in 2023, playing 985 total snaps, all at starting left tackle. 

Strengths

Size and Length: Remarkable height and weight for the role, combined with a stocky frame with good length that offers inherent leverage benefits when facing edge rushers. He holds his ground exceptionally well against powerful rushes, leveraging his robust lower body to absorb and redirect the incoming force.

Agility: Shows impressive lateral quickness for his size, allowing him to swiftly recover from counter moves. Possesses the speed and agility to cover ground, close gaps, and intercept targets during lead-pulls and screens.

Elite Hands: Polished hand skills to throw off the rusher's timing, demonstrating a solid grasp of various hand techniques to counter outside moves and hinder inside ones. Shows effective hand usage in pass protection, able to deliver a powerful initial punch and keep control throughout the engagement.

Weakness

Foot Speed and Placement: Feet may intertwine, resulting in an unstable foundation. There can be challenges with foot speed during recovery moments, occasionally giving defenders the opportunity to take the advantage before he can regain his position.

Run Blocking Technique: Hand placement during run blocking can vary, which affects his capacity to maintain blocks against skilled defenders. At times, he tends to overreach when trying to engage defenders in the run game, making it easier for them to push him out of position due to his size.

Knee Bend: Tends to bend at the waist instead of the knees, which diminishes his power. He also struggles with hip stiffness, making it difficult for him to keep up with faster or smaller edge rushers.

NFL Comparison: Taliese Fuaga, New Orleans 

Fuaga, just like Banks, possesses a solid physique with good arm length and thick lower body. Both players demonstrate impressive athleticism for size, showcasing quick acceleration from his stance and notable strength. Fuaga does tends to drift and has difficulty with his foot positioning just like Banks, which makes him susceptible to losing against fast-twitch pass rushers. The big difference in both players is their run blocking skills, in which Fuaga demonstrated in college to be the better aggressor in that regard.

Draft Projection

Banks is strong upon contact, setting the stage for becoming an immovable object. It also positions him to release, climb, and connect with linebackers, where he can quickly establish a solid grip to control the point of attack. Furthermore, Banks shows agility when maneuvering around the edge and executing screens, demonstrating the quickness needed to line up, burst forward, and disrupt smaller targets. However, he faces difficulties as the play unfolds, struggling to hold his ground against attempts to shed due to his footwork and a tendency to lean, which can lead to losing his balance and falling off blocks.

Banks showcases excellent pass protection abilities and displays remarkable athleticism. He skillfully carries out combination blocks and is adept at targeting moving defenders. However, he sometimes disengages from blocks during extended plays and can have problems with pad leverage on run blocks. 

Estimated Round Grade: Early First Round Pick