ESPN analyst calls Saints' Kelvin Banks Jr. best left tackle from 2025 NFL Draft

Matt Sullivan

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ESPN analyst calls Saints' Kelvin Banks Jr. best left tackle from 2025 NFL Draft image

The New Orleans Saints took Tyler Shough in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he drew significantly more attention than their first-round pick.

While Shough has blossomed into a great quarterback already, the Saints' first-round pick, left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., out of Texas, has been a superstar.

Ben Solak of ESPN calls him the best left tackle from the 2025 NFL Draft, giving him first-team rookie honors above the Kansas City Chiefs' first-round pick of Josh Simmons.

Saints' Kelvin Banks Jr. Was a home run of a pick

"One of the quieter first-round picks," Solak writes, "Banks has slid easily into the New Orleans' left tackle spot and taken on a veteran's workload with aplomb."

Finding a franchise quarterback is always going to be a major priority, but creating a strong offensive line is just as important as any other spot on the roster.

Banks, who has an 87.7% pass block win rate and a 76.1% run block win rate according to ESPN, has been the exact player the Saints were hoping for.

Drafted ninth overall, Banks has been one of the more underrated selections from the 2025 NFL Draft. But, for the Saints, he's been a perfect pick.

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He's started every game this season, has been asked to handle tough responsibilities, and isn't missing a beat in his rookie season.

While the Shough selection and emergence have taken all of the attention from the 2025 Saints draft class, Banks cannot be forgotten, as he's a slatwart left tackle for years to come if he can maintain what he's done this season going forward.

Not only did the Saints nail their quarterback pick in this draft with Shough, but they've found a franchise left tackle for a long time with Banks as well.

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Senior Editor