Get to know New Orleans first round draft pick.
On night one of the 2025 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints did not trade down like the rumors were suggesting. Instead, they stayed put and selected Kelvin Banks Jr., a tackle from the University of Texas.
Here are some things that will help fans get to know the new Saints player.
#1. He won the Lombardi award and the Outland trophy
Banks Jr. is an award-winning lineman, winning three in his final year of college.
Each year, the best offensive lineman in college football receives the Lombardi award. According to PFF, Banks Jr. allowed only one sack in 538 pass blocks and was 2024’s winner. His run blocking is also exceptional, receiving an 81.0 grade from PFF.
The Outland trophy is given to college football’s best interior lineman. Notable past winners of this trophy include hall of famers Bruce Smith, Orlando Pace, and Joe Thomas.
#2. He is a BBQ enthusiast
On his Instagram, Banks Jr. had a series where he would travel around Austin, TX, on a tour of the city’s best barbecue spots. Many stores were featured, including Slab’s BBQ, Leroy & Lewis BBQ, Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q, Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, and Terry Black’s Barbecue.
He has also had meetings with Matthew Odam, a restaurant critic and reporter for the Austin American-Statesman.
#3. He’s a natural leader
Since his middle school football days, Banks Jr. has been known for his vocal leadership.
“He realized at some point that everybody looked up to him,” Travis Albee, the athletic director for his middle school, said in an interview with The Daily Texan. “He realized that, at some point, he was going to have to be vocal, especially out on the field, because a lot of the time the coach is not out there.”
His teammates at UT must have thought the same thing, as Banks Jr. was named a team captain in 2023 and 2024.
#4. Has plenty of experience
Banks Jr. has been a starter on the Longhorn’s offensive line ever since his freshman year. In that span, he has started a total of 42 games, playing 1,544 pass block snaps and only allowing four sacks, according to PFF.
#5. Has been an elite athlete since high school
At the time of his graduation from Summer Creek High School in Humble, Texas, Banks Jr. was a five-star recruit and ranked among the top 10 prospects in the country.