2023 NFL Draft Proves Why Longhorns Kelvin Banks Is Nation's Best OT
Texas Longhorns starting left tackle Kelvin Banks was thrown into the fire from Day 1 last season, starting all 13 games. And over that time, he was forced to battle some of the very best pass rushers in the country.
On Thursday night, four of those players were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft: No. 3 pick Will Anderson (Alabama), No. 7 pick Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech), No. 15 pick Will McDonald IV (Iowa State), and No. 31 pick, Felix Anudike-Uzomah (Kansas State). And despite his youth and inexperience, Banks thrived, giving up just one quarterback hit and one sack in 456 pass-blocking snaps.
First up was Alabama's Anderson - in Banks' second-career college football game. And in that game, Banks thrived, going rep for rep with arguably the nation's best pass rusher, and not surrendering a single sack or QB hit. Anderson did end the game with one sack, though it did not come against Banks.
Two weeks later, Banks faced Wilson, who finished the game with .5 sacks. Meanwhile, against Anudike-Uzomah and McDonald, Banks was nearly flawless, stonewalling both to just nine tackles combined.
In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, Banks' 3.5 percent pressure rate was the sixth-best mark in the country. Meanwhile, his 98.4 pass-block efficiency score was second in the Big 12, behind only Oklahoma's Anton Harrison, who went No. 27 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night.
All of this, as a true freshman.
Not only that, but Banks also established himself as a mauler in the run game, helping to clear the way for one of the best ground attacks in college football, and Doak Walker award winner, Bijan Robinson.
In other words, even as a rising sophomore, Banks has already arguably established himself as the country's best left tackle.
What was perhaps even more impressive about Banks' on-field success in 2022, however, was the fact that he did not arrive on campus as an early enrollee, instead joining the program after spring football had already concluded.
And despite missing out on those critical months of preparation and on-field reps, Banks was still one of the best offensive tackles in the Big 12.
Heading into next season, with a full offseason including spring football ahead of him, Banks could take a big leap forward and finish the year as one of the top NFL Draft prospects in the country.
Luckily for the Horns, they will have him around for a minimum of two more seasons, with Banks not eligible to enter until the 2025 draft.
You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan
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