By Ross Jackson
With the NFL Draft just hours away, I wanted to share my final prediction for what will happen for the New Orleans Saints.
After months of research, rumor-tracking, phone calls, travel and more, here is what I’m expecting to take place Thursday night as the Saints hit the clock at No. 9 overall in the first round. That is, as long as the player makes it through the opening eight selections.
Round 1, Pick 9 – Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr.
The temptation of a highly-touted skill position player could sway the Saints away from building in the trenches, but it feels unlikely at this point. Building from the inside out has been a continuous mantra all offseason long. To see the Saints steer away from that would only be because one of the top four or five players were still on the board:
- Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter
- Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter
- Penn State TE Tyler Warren (The pick I’d most like to see)
- Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty
- Michigan DT Mason Graham
But the likelihood of any of those players being available is projected to be slim.
Why Kelvin Banks Jr.?
Firstly, Banks is an outstanding player. And he’s a player that can immediately help the Saints where the offense is in need of strengthening: the offensive line. Whether a day one starter at tackle or guard, it’s easy to project Banks as a future bookend for New Orleans, even if not right away in 2025.
Texas LT Kelvin Banks is not being valued enough. That’s a big dude who can move. Tons of experience. Impossible to find a LT in free agency. Major surplus value by drafting one on a rookie contract. pic.twitter.com/HY0b8lIRhC
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) April 8, 2025
The 6-foot-5 and 315 pound player is versatile and athletic, particularly standing out in the run game, making him a perfect fit for head coach Kellen Moore. He surrendered just four sacks in his college career, only one last year. He also only gave up 10 total pressures in 2024, with only five (four hurries and one hit) in his last eight matchups.
With a Relative Athletic Score of 8.32, he fits the ability to move well that New Orleans has emphasized (though not the scores literally) for years, meeting the demand of the coach and habits of the front office in one prospect.
The Saints also have two former Longhorns staff members on staff that may coach on the opposite side of the ball, but certainly have their own experiences practicing against and seeing Banks in action. Defensive line coach Bo Davis and defensive passing game coordinator were both on the coaching staff in Austin during Banks’ long-term starting tenure. Their insight in Banks could go a long way in getting him to New Orleans.
🚨🚨NFL Draft Update 🚨🚨
Odds on who the Saints will Draft at No. 9 aas of 1:15 PM via @DKSportsbook
– EDGE | Mykel Williams +280
– QB | Jaxson Dart +300
– OT | Kelvin Banks +700
– OG | Tyler Booker +700
– TE | Tyler Warren +800 pic.twitter.com/lvS9xwwO59— 104.5 ESPN (@1045espn) April 24, 2025
The lineman also has a ton of experience, having started 42/42 games during his Longhorns career, missing only his final matchup in the SEC Championship due to an ankle injury. The injury did not hold him out of participating in the pre-draft process, where he also impressed.
Offseason Athletic Testing Results
- 40-yard-dash: 5.16 seconds
- Vertical: 32 inches
- Broad jump: 8-foot-8
- Shuttle: 4.66 seconds
- 3-Cone: 7.81 seconds
Where Banks fits
The Texas offensive lineman spent his entire career at left tackle in Austin. In the pros, he may be asked to first move inside. The Saints have a glaring hole at left guard. Banks could immediately plug in there, with a chance to eventually bounce outside depending on the future of right tackle Trevor Penning, whose fifth-year option will not be exercised by New Orleans, per general manager Mickey Loomis.
In which case, in coming years the Saints could shift left tackle Taliese Fuaga back to his collegiate position of right tackle and plug Banks in back at his natural left tackle role. Alternatively, Banks could possibly be asked to move to the right side if Fuaga continues to perform too well on the left side to mix him up.
New Orleans could also simply put him inside and leave him inside or, should he convince the team to do so, start his professional career at either tackle spot. New Orleans would have the flexibility to then deploy their best five offensive lineman in whatever structure they feel best benefits the team and Moore’s new system.
What are the potential roadblocks?
One of the teams that potentially stands in the way of the Saints landing Banks will be the Las Vegas Raiders. Banks is currently the betting favorite to land in the black and silver.
While Jeanty continues to be the hot name for Las Vegas, many teams could look to leap them or even the Jacksonville Jaguars could take him at No. 5 overall, one pick ahead of the Raiders.
Should that happen, the offensive line is a big need with an ongoing Kolton Miller contract dispute. The Raiders could take Banks or might instead be tempted by Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou or Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr.
What happens if Banks is taken?
Should the Raiders (or any other team) select Banks before the Saints get a chance, Conerly would be a logical alternative for New Orleans. Otherwise, if one of the top five players mentioned were to make it, they could potentially tempt the Saints to select. Defensive lineman should come into play in this case as well, including Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams, who is currently the betting favorite to land with the Saints.
The shocker here would be quarterback as the alternative, as odds continue to rise in favor of Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.
A possible second First Round pick
The Saints would not shock by trading back up into the back half of the first round for another selection. There are two ways that would play out if it comes to fruition at all.
The Saints either land Banks or another trench player at No. 9 overall and then trade back into the first for a quarterback.
Or the Saints land a skill position player that surprisingly falls to No. 9 and then trades back in for a quarterback or offensive lineman.
This one is hard to predict with no certainty of what the competition will be to do so, as other teams may be looking to get back into the end of the first round, as well. New Orleans could try this and succeed but just as well, they could try and fail.
