USA Today released its most recent mock draft with the NFL Scouting Combine in full swing. They factored in the Terron Armstead news that broke this week in making their selection for Miami at pick #13.
Round 1, Pick #13: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas
“The Dolphins’ revelation at the combine that they’re not expecting left tackle Terron Armstead to return next season adds a bit of urgency to their expected offensive line reconfiguration. A three-year starter and Outland Trophy winner last season, Banks would provide flexibility along the front, though his best bet is likely smoothing out an uneven landscape at guard.”
Overview
Three-year starter who has gone to battle in the trenches with current and future pros. Banks will come into the league as an early starter but his run blocking is more pro-ready than his pass protection. He’s technically sound and scrappy in the ground game, with the quickness and athleticism to get to all move blocks. He has the leverage and strain to hold his own at the point. Banks has the slide quickness to deal with speed, but he must become more proactive in attacking power rushers and long-limbed attackers to prevent them from dictating the terms. He needs to improve his anchor and hand placement but he should become a long-time NFL starter at either tackle or guard.
Strengths
- Plays with good initial quickness and easy athleticism.
- Tracks rushers with smooth slides and a steady pace.
- Refuses to overset and unnecessarily open an inside lane.
- Feet are active and light to mirror counter movements.
- Has a feel for his punch range and when to throw his hands.
- Dips and drives hips into the opponent, creating leverage.
- Runs feet into down blocks and kick-outs, and keeps them chopping.
- Centers up man-on-man blocks and strains to neutralize.
- Athletic in space with basketball feet to adjust and connect.
Weaknesses
- Lacks desired thickness in his limbs.
- Pass protection features excessive forward lean into punch.
- Needs to expand set depth to create a wider corner for rusher.
- Labors to keep power from compressing his edges.
- Athletic but body control can get away from him in protection.
- Sloppy hand placement and tardy resets impact block sustain.
- Needs to play with more consistent clinch and control at the point.
Size:
Height: 6’4” | Weight: 325 lbs
Accomplishments:
First-Team All-Big 12 (2023) • Joe Moore Award semifinalist (2023) • Second-Team All-Big 12 (2022)
“Kelvin Banks possesses high-level physical tools and experience to project to being an early high-level starting OT in the NFL.”
Strengths:
- Athleticism in pass pro
- Lateral agility
- Range as a blocker
- Scheme-versatile run blocker
Concerns:
- Balance/body control run blocking
- Sustaining blocks run blocking
- Will turn shoulders and open base in pass pro
Film Analysis:
Kelvin Banks is a prospect who is highly experienced and highly decorated. Banks has been the starting LT for the Texas Longhorn program since his freshman year entering the program as a five-star recruit. He’s been responsible for protecting one of the best QB prospects in the nation Quinn Ewers. Banks possesses a good combination of size, athleticism, and fluid movements that allow him to be a productive player in both the run game and pass protection.
In pass protection, Banks shows his athleticism in how quickly and effortlessly he can get depth in his pass set. This ability allows Banks to be in position to handle pass rushers’ initial and counter moves at the top of the rush arc. Banks has the athletic profile to also react to counter moves, being able to effectively retrace his steps and work back to seal off an outside-to-inside counter move. Banks also shows to be nuanced in his hand usage, showing the ability to be a single-hand puncher and to shoot, sustain, and win the rep when there’s hand combat interaction with defenders. Although athleticism is Banks’ premier trait in pass protection, he has enough strength to anchor on defenders in pass pro and stop them from collapsing the pocket and protecting the quarterback.
Banks’ athleticism also shows as a run blocker. On zone run plays, Banks is an easy mover and can easily work to seal off the backside of runs and out-leverage defenders with quickness. Banks has consistently shown the ability with a quick first step to beat defenders to a spot and place effective blocks. Banks can also effectively climb to second-level defenders, making impactful running backs lanes to run through. Working power/gap runs, Banks can pull from the LT position and be a lead blocker on the right side of the line, making effective contact with defenders.
Banks’ improvements as a player are primarily centered around his inconsistencies in technique in both the run game and pass protection. In pass protection, Banks will lose his base, which allows defenders to beat him with a counter move to get to the quarterback. He also appears to need to improve the overall strength in his upper body so his punches can become more impactful to slow defenders. In the run game, Banks does a good job of making initial contact but will lose a rep due to lunging and losing balance trying to make contact with defenders. Banks need to become patient and finish the process of working to defenders to make contact before lunging to make contact.
Overall, Banks has great athleticism that translates to him being a high-level player against the run and in pass protection. With a few improvements, he has the upside to become a reliable high-level starting OT in the NFL.
Prospect Projection: Day 1 — Pro Bowl Caliber
