High School

Kelvin Banks Jr. selected at No. 9 overall in NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints

OT Banks was the district offensive MVP his senior year at Humble Summer Creek

Cody Thorn

Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. (78) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. (78) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In recent years, Humble Summer Creek has been one of the top football teams in Texas.

The Bulldogs have made the playoffs every year since 2021, and that included a spot in the 6A Division II state finals in 2023. 

One of the players behind that run — Kelvin Banks Jr. –– heard his name call at the 2025 NFL Draft, Thursday night in Green Bay. Banks was selected with the ninth pick of the first round by the New Orleans Saints.

Where did the 2025 NFL Draft's top prospects play high school football

The offensive tackle from Texas earned the right to be a first-round pick.

He was a third-year starter for the Longhorns, earning all-conference honors in both the Big 12 and SEC. Banks declared for the draft following a season where the Longhorns reached the college football playoffs semifinals, losing to eventual champion Ohio State. 

The 6-foot-4, 324-pounder was a first-team All-American this year and won the Lombardi Award as the nation’s top offensive lineman.

The Texas standout blocked for 1,000-yard rushers Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Brooks, both currently in the NFL, his first two years. 

Playing at Humble Summer Creek, his trajectory in college was easy to see.

How good was he for the Bulldogs? 

He was the District 21-6A offensive MVP in 2021 — an award that is almost always given to a quarterback, running back or wide receiver.

He was an all-district pick all four years for the Bulldogs. His senior year was the first time the Bulldogs ever reached the quarterfinals, falling to Katy, 34-31, that season. That year, the Bulldogs had two running backs with more than 1,000 yards — Lloyd Avant, now at Tulsa and Torrie Curry, now playing at Bethel College. 

The Bulldogs’ offense averaged 310.6 yards per game on the ground and scored an average of 45 points per game, going 10-4 that season. 

Banks had plenty of accolades at Summer Creek, participating in the 2022 Under Armour All-American Game.

Recruiting-wise, he was ranked as high as No. 1 among offensive tackles in the Class of 2022 and was a consensus top 65 recruit by Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and USA Today. 

247Sports had him as a 98 grade and No. 3 in the country among offensive tackles. The two players ranked in front of him include fellow NFL draft prospect Josh Conerly Jr. (No. 1), who went to Oregon and Zach Rice, who went to North Carolina but recently just entered the transfer portal.

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• Family, Legacy, and the Mat: Amelia Fawcett’s Journey Forward

• Seth Hernandez projected to be first-ever right-handed high school pitcher selected No. 1 overall in MLB Draft

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Cody Thorn
CODY THORN

Cody Thorn is a veteran journalist who covers high school sports across the state of Texas and Missouri. He is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has covered sports and news since 1999.

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