Saints Star Confident Team Found Cornerstone

The Saints have an intriguing rookie on their hands...

Aug 13, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of New Orleans Saints helmets on the bench during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints surprised some people as they selected offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. in the first round of the 2025 National Football League Draft.

As the 2025 NFL Draft approached, a lot of the buzz around the Saints was whether or not they would take a quarterback or some sort of offensive weapon with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round. Shedeur Sanders was the most polarizing figure in the draft and was linked to New Orleans at the pick as well as Jaxson Dart, but New Orleans didn't choose either.

Another guy who was speculated about a lot was tight end Tyler Warren on the offensive side of the ball. As the draft got closer, defensive guys like Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker started getting some buzz as well.

New Orleans went in a different direction, though. The Saints went with offensive line help and added Banks. He was considered to be one of the top offensive tackles in the draft class and will immediately play a big role for a team that had offensive line issues last year.

It sounds like he already has impressed some members of the franchise as well. Two-time Pro Bowler Erik McCoy is widely considered to be one of the top centers in the game and spoke highly of Banks, as shared by ESPN's Katherine Terrell.

"I love young Banks. He's a man," McCoy said. "Super talented, great hands, quick feet, super intelligent. I think he's going to hold down that left side for a long, long time."

If Banks as a player of McCoy's caliber already impressed, maybe this line can significantly turn things around quickly in 2025 and into the future.

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