Joe Burrow probably wouldn’t mind having arguably the best pass-blocking player in the NFL Draft.
The Cincinnati Bengals have seemingly resolved their issues at the bookends of the offensive line with Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims looking like long-term answers.
But outside Ted Karras, the interior of the line is still a question mark.
So don’t be surprised if, despite the lack of investment in the defense in free agency, the team decides to further support the strength of the team (the offense) with an offensive lineman in the first round.
And that pick could very well be…
Kelvin Banks
- Height: 6’ 5”
- Weight: 315
- Age: 21
- Year: Junior
- School: Texas
- Hometown: Humble, TX
- 40-Yard Dash: 5.16
Kelvin Banks Jr. is a OT prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 8.31 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 256 out of 1508 OT from 1987 to 2025.https://t.co/KDS3fnZGgG pic.twitter.com/gAl65EpT9g
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 10, 2025
Background
Banks was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school. In fact, he was a top 10 prospect nationally.
He then went on to have a stellar career at Texas. He was a freshman All-American, then First-Team All-Big 12 in 2023, and First-Team AP All-American and First-Team All-SEC last year. Banks enters the 2025 NFL Draft as a likely first-round pick.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Banks is very athletic for his size. His footwork is smooth and he is quick out of his stance. He has “elite spatial awareness” and “sophisticated hand technique.”
His problems are related to body control and the “thickness in his limbs.” His smaller arm length also has many wondering if he’ll eventually move to guard in the pros or if he’ll remain at offensive tackle.
Banks is certainly someone who could give the Bengals depth at both tackle and guard spots if he’s developed properly. He’d also give the team insurance at tackle in the event Brown isn’t re-signed (his contract expires in 2027) or Mims doesn’t pan out on the right side.
Outlook
Andrew Winter of Gridiron Grading has Banks in his top 10, but the NFL Draft expert still thinks the Bengals could end up with him, especially if they’re willing to part with a little draft capital. The analyst would go on to call Banks the best pass-blocking lineman in this class.
“He fits all of the boxes that the Bengals look for,” Winter said. “He’s a young guy. He was a five-star prospect coming out of high school, coming out after only three years. He started all three years at left tackle for Texas… He will have a smooth transition to the NFL.”
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