2025 NFL Draft Profile: LT Kelvin Banks, Jr.

Background:

• Position: LT.
• Height/Weight: 6’4”, 324 lbs.
• Age: 21.
• College Experience: 3-year starter at LT (2022–2024), 39 consecutive starts before an ankle injury in 2024 sidelined him for the SEC Championship game.
• Accolades: 2024 Outland Trophy winner, unanimous First-Team All-American, First-Team All-SEC, 2023 First-Team All-Big 12, 2022 Freshman All-American.

Positives:

• Athleticism: Banks possesses elite explosiveness and lateral quickness for his size, allowing him to mirror speed rushers and recover against counter moves. His agility shines in space, making him especially effective on pulls and screens.
• Pass Pro: Exceptional footwork and hand placement enable him to anchor against power rushers and redirect speed threats. Allowed just 1 sack in 537 pass-blocking snaps in 2024 (per PFF, so take it with a grain of salt). Reminder - this was against SEC rushers.
• Run Blocking: A fucking MAULER with a low center of gravity and elite raw power, Banks drives defenders off the ball and finishes blocks. He consistently opens up running lanes on tape.
• Technique: Displays smooth, controlled pass sets and a firm understanding of leverage. His bait technique disrupts rushers’ timing. He excels on combo blocks, displaying proper pad level.
• Experience: Three years starting at left tackle for a playoff-caliber Texas team against top competition (Big 12 and SEC) demonstrate his readiness for the NFL.

Negatives:

• Height: At 6’4”, Banks is shorter than the prototypical NFL tackle (often 6’6” or taller. Some scouts project him to guard if he can’t handle longer edge rushers.
• Mechanical Issues: Tends to widen his base or lean too far forward when sustaining blocks, leading to balance problems against savvy defenders who can rip or shed him late in reps.
• Hand Usage: While he improved in this department in 2024, his hand precision can be inconsistent, occasionally failing to maximize his strength and leaving him vulnerable to losing contact.
• Upper Body Strength: Needs to add more functional strength to dominate at the point of attack consistently. Especially in the run game against bigger NFL defensive linemen.

Draft Projection:
Based on a meta-sampling of current 2025 NFL mock drafts and prospect rankings from sources like ESPN, CBS Sports, Pro Football Network, The 33rd Team, and others as of March 10, 2025:

• Consensus Range: Top 4 to Top 15.
• My Projection: Top 5.
• Most Frequent Projection: No. 4 overall (Patriots, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid and CBS’s Ryan Wilson) or No. 10 (Chicago Bears, per Sporting News and Tankathon).
• Median Projection: No. 9 overall (CBS Sports ranking).

Banks is widely regarded as the top offensive tackle in a relatively weak 2025 OT class, competing with LSU’s Will Campbell for the OT1 mantle. His stock has risen with his 2024 performance, and, barring something unforeseen, he’s a lock for the first round (likely in the top 10). Given team needs—especially for quarterback protection—and the scarcity of elite tackles, I wouldn’t mind him at number four overall, aligning with multiple mocks that I’ve seen and the Pats glaring need at left tackle.

Fit with the Pats’ Offense:

• Our offensive line was total shit in 2024, with Maye eating 34 sacks in 13 games (8.2% sack-per-dropback rate, 6th highest in the NFL). LT was a revolving door, with Miderian Lowe and Caedan Wallace struggling to protect Maye’s blindside.
• Banks projects as an immediate starter at left tackle. His quick feet and pass-blocking prowess would shore up Maye’s blindside, reducing pressure and giving the young QB time to develop. His run-blocking power and agility fit a zone blocking scheme, where he can pull or seal edges effectively.
• At 21, Banks offers long-term stability alongside Maye (22), forming a young core to build around. His athletic profile suggests he can handle the AFC East’s diverse pass rushers (I.E., Haason Reddick and Bradley Chubb). If his height/arm length holds him back at tackle, he could slide to guard, though his tape suggests he’ll stick outside IMO.
• Banks has to refine his balance and upper-body strength to handle NFL power rushers on the regular. The Pats’ OL coaching (currently unproven post-2024 staff changes) will need to polish his mechanical issues to maximize his impact.

Summary:
Kelvin Banks Jr. is a high-upside tackle with the tools to be a Day 1 starter and future All-Pro. Going to New England at #4 fills a critical need, pairing him with Drake Maye to jumpstart the Patriots’ offensive rebuild in the post-Brady, post-BB era. While he’s not flawless, his athleticism, technique, and college production make him a safe bet to anchor the line for a decade… if he stays healthy.


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