SEC Media Days Storylines: Kelvin Banks has a chance to break a 22-year drought
The last Texas Longhorns offensive lineman to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft was Mike Williams in 2002. Since then, the following schools have placed an offensive lineman in the first round of the draft:
Arizona State
Utah
Georgia
Notre Dame
Stanford
Iowa
Arkansas
Miami (Fla.)
Oklahoma
Florida State
Ole Miss
Fresno State
Virginia
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Penn State
Central Michigan
Auburn
Michigan
Boise State
Vanderbilt
Boston College
Pitt
USC
Virginia Tech
Baylor
Alabama
Cal
Louisville
Oklahoma State
Rutgers
Idaho
Florida
Colorado
Mississippi State
Texas A&M
North Carolina
Syracuse
Oregon
Tennessee
Duke
Michigan State
UCLA
NC State
Washington State
Alabama State
Washington
Northwestern
Northern Iowa
Tulsa
Chattanooga
Oregon State
Arizona
Fifty-three schools. There have been Longhorn O-linemen taken in the draft since then, of course. Derrick Dockery, Jonathan Scott, Justin Blalock, Kasey Studdard, Tony Hills, Connor Williams, Sam Cosmi, and Christian Jones have heard their names called since Williams went fourth overall. None were within the first 32 picks.
Kelvin Banks, who is set to appear at SEC Media Days next week, has great odds to be the man that changes that.
The first-round drought, and the first-round offensive player drought, ended at the 2023 draft when Bijan Robinson was picked eighth overall by the Atlanta Falcons. Byron Murphy and Xavier Worthy went in the first round in the most recent draft, giving the Longhorns back-to-back drafts with players picked in the first round for the first time since 2009 and 2010.
But since Williams was picked over two decades ago, no Longhorn O-lineman has gone in the first round. There were some close calls, like Blalock in 2007 (pick 39), Williams in 2018 (pick 50), and Cosmi in 2021 (pick 51).
Banks has better chances to go early than that trio should his 2024 season at the very least mimic his 2022 and 2023, something well within program and national expectations. A five-star in the class of 2022 and On3’s No. 6 overall prospect, Banks arrived on campus in the summer of 2022 and quickly established himself as one of the best players on the team. He had to work his way up from the bottom of the depth chart like every other player, but he has yet to leave his post since rising to the top.
During his freshman year, Banks went toe-to-toe with four different pass-rushers who ended up being first-round picks: Will Anderson, Tyree Wilson, Will McDonald, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah. He surrendered zero sacks, four total pressures, and did not commit a penalty in those games.
That 2022 campaign, one where he started all 13 games, earned him FWAA Freshman All-America honors and second-team All-Big 12 accolades from the league’s coaches and the Associated Press. He improved upon that in 2023 with a second-team All-America selection from the AFCA and first-team All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches.
He’s Texas’ most indispensable player ahead of the 2024 campaign in the Southeastern Conference, and the best pro prospect on the roster.
On Pro Football Focus’ early 2025 Big Board, he’s the No. 6 overall prospect and the No. 2 tackle behind LSU’s Will Campbell. His PFF grade in 2022 was 71.0. He bumped that number up to 76.5 in 2023. ESPN projects Banks to be the No. 5 overall selection by the Washington Commanders in its most recent way-too-early mock draft.
It’ll take another quality season for Banks to reach that lofty plateau, one that two decades of Longhorn O-linemen have not reached for a variety of reasons. Another quality season can safely be expected from Banks. If he follows through on expectations, especially in the SEC, that 20-plus year drought is likely to end.
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