Banks was a draft target to fortify the New Orleans front line

There are 71 days left until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 2025 regular season. The Saints will start their 59th year of NFL existence at home against the Arizona Cardinals and with a new head coach in Kellen Moore. Offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is one of the new faces on this year’s squad. The Saints’ first round choice out of Texas, Banks will be wearing the same No. 71 that was Ryan Ramczyk used while playing at such a high level since 2017. Banks has big shoes to fill, and he is the Saints Player of the Day in our countdown.

Name (age): Kelvin Banks Jr. (21)Hometown: Houston, TexasPosition: Offensive tackleHeight, weight: 6-foot-5, 315 poundsCollege: Texas LonghornsRelative Athletic Score: 8.25Drafted: Round 1, 9th overall in 2025 (New Orleans Saints)NFL experience: Rookie2025 salary cap hit: $5,042,045

At Summer Creek High School in Texas, Banks was a five-star recruit pursued by several national NCAA powers. After originally committing to Oregon, Banks switched his decision to Texas. An immediate starter at left tackle for the Longhorns, Banks started every game as a freshman in 2022 and earned 2nd Team All-Big 12 recognition. He’d follow that up with 1st Team All-Big 12 and 2nd Team All-American accolades the following year. In 2024, Banks was viewed as one of the most dominant blockers in the nation. He capped off his collegiate career by starting every game for his three years with the Longhorns. In 2024, Banks was a 1st Team All-SEC selection as well as a unanimous 1st Team All-American. He was also awarded the Outland Trophy, annually given to the best lineman in college football.

With the ninth overall choice in the 2025 NFL draft, Banks was selected by the New Orleans Saints. He was the third tackle chosen of eight that came off the board in Round 1 this spring. Banks is expected to step right in as the starting left tackle for New Orleans and was a fixture at the spot throughout OTA sessions and minicamp.

Kelvin Banks Jr. is the third offensive tackle drafted as a Round 1 pick by New Orleans in the last three years, joining Taliese Fuaga (2024) and Trevor Penning (2022). The Saints have now spent a first or second round pick on an offensive lineman six times in the last nine years since 2017. Ramczyk (2017) is now retired, but the other five are projected to be the Saints starting offensive line in the 2025 campaign.

With Banks projected to be the left tackle, Fuaga will move over to right tackle, where he was a collegiate All-American. Penning will move inside to left guard alongside center Erik McCoy and right guard Cesar Ruiz. The Saints are betting that Kelvin Banks Jr. will be the final piece for what they hope is a dominant line this season.