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New York Giants Draft Prospect: OT Kelvin Banks, Jr., Texas

The Giants could use some more depth at offensive tackle. Can Kelvin Banks, Jr. offer that depth?

Nick Falato

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; 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
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; 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
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Kelvin Banks Jr., a three-year athletic starter at left tackle for the Texas Longhorns, has experience in multiple run schemes, including quick-game, RPOs, and motion. 

dark. MORE. They Might Be Giants: 2025 Draft Prospect Scouting Reports. They Might Be Giants: 2025 Draft Prospect Scouting Reports

Kelvin Banks, Jr.

  • Height: 6’4
  • Weight: 320 lbs
  • Class: Junior
  • School: Texas

A former five-star – heavily sought after – recruit from Summer Creek High School in Humble, Texas, where he was the seventh-ranked recruit from his state and the third OT in the 2022 class. According to 247Sports, he was the 30th-graded player in that class.

Banks Jr. started in 42 games for the Texas Longhorns and earned the 2024 Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy. The Longhorns were a Joe Moore Award Semifinalist unit (the last two seasons). Banks Jr. was a Unanimous All-American. 

He was a second-team all-American in 2023 and was an immediate impact player when he stepped on campus, earning College Football News' first-team freshman all-American honors while also being named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year by the league’s coaches. 

Banks Jr. was highly touted coming out of HUMBLE Texas, and he lived up to the hype. He allowed just four sacks and 34 pressures through 1,544 pass-blocking reps. He took almost every snap in college at left tackle (2,774). He will hear his name called early in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Strengths

  • Elite size with excellent length
  • Exceptional athlete with an angular build – incredibly fluid
  • Very impressed by his movement skills: change of direction, agility, fluidity, etc. 
  • Loose hips and light feet allow him to reanchor/reset when needed
  • Drops his hips to establish leverage at the POA – excellent use of positioning/leverage
  • Understands how to win with leverage – maximizes his good overall play strength 
  • Very good run blocker – good technique!
  • Creates space on contact – gets hips low and drives through opponent
  • Stays low into contact on double-teams – hip to hip, drive!
  • Active eyes to locate climb – quickly disengages
  • Good angle on down blocks, uses frame well
  • Dangerous in space on screens and crack toss – excellent location ability  
  • Good pass protector with elite ceiling 
  • Feet are quick QUICK!
  • Good overall hand usage in pass protection – good patience (could sustain once punches land)
  • Aiming points are good on initial punch – tries to control/steer/eliminate
  • Solid jolt in hands – varies his engagement to keep DL sharp
  • Active feet to mirror – feather feet!
  • Plays with a chip on his shoulder
  • Three year tone-setting starter for one of the best programs in college football
  • Is just 20 years old
Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr.
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; 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. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Weaknesses

  • Has good play strength but not elite play strength
  • Sufficient anchor that is not elite
  • Elite athletic ability allows him to successfully not maximize his framing of the block – could get better with his framing 
  • Could improve set discernment in pass protection 
  • Hands to sustain could be more consistent
  • Will lean with his punch, leading to suboptimal positioning when moving up arc 
  • I don’t want to say he’s unbalanced, but he could do a better job staying upright 
  • When threatened, he tends to lean and/or grab
  • When he finds himself out of position, he tends panic-grab (had 15 penalties in college)

Summary

Kelvin Banks Jr. is an elite athlete playing offensive tackle. His athletic ability – coupled with his size/frame – allow him to effortlessly mirror and match EDGE rushers; his bend through his lower body and his ability to keep his hips low – and reset them after exhausting his power – are rare traits to find and give him a MASSIVE ceiling, while providing a solid floor. 

He’s quick, fluid, and carries pop on contact with the necessary competitive toughness to play OL at the next level. He’s good in pass protection but there are several aspects that can be cleaned up: sustainment of blocks, framing of blocks on an island, technique not to lean/grab, and an overall trust in his sensational foundation of skills could go a long way for Banks Jr. 

Questions about his balance have Giants’ fans trembling due to the disappointment of Evan Neal but Banks Jr. is a far superior athlete than Neal. I don’t see them in a similar light. Rumors circulate that Banks Jr. may be moved inside to guard; he’d be successful in that scenario but I have no qualms with him playing tackle. He won’t wait long on draft day. 

GRADE: 6.75

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Nick Falato
NICK FALATO

Nick Falato is co-host of the Big Blue Banter podcast. In addition to Giants Country, his work has appeared on SB Nation.

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