NEWSLETTER
Chicago Bears fans should get to know Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr., who is cleaning up on the college football awards banquet circuit.
Banks won the Outland Trophy on Thursday, awarded annually to college football’s best linemen. Notable winners who played along the offensive line include Penei Sewell (Oregon, 2019), Joe Thomas (Wisconsin, 2006), and Orlando Pace (1996). Defensive linemen are eligible for this award, too. Winners on that side of the ball include Aaron Donald (2013, Pittsburgh) and Ndamukong Suh (2009, Nebraska). Not everyone who has won the Outland has gone on to be a star in the NFL, but a good chunk of them have had solid pro careers. And I feel Kelvin Banks Jr. has a good shot at being a good one at the next level.
This was pretty neat to watch:
The Outland Trophy is staying in Austin 🏆🤘 @Kelvinbanksjr12
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) December 13, 2024
📺 @espn pic.twitter.com/d1YFBQdXBf
But it’s not as if that is the only notable award the University of Texas product won. Banks also won the Lombardi Award, given out by the Rotary Club of Houston to their choice of college football’s top linemen. In doing so, Banks beat LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell, South Carolina defensive end Kyle Kennard, and Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter to bring it home. That is some stuff competition to hold off for a major award. Some notable previous winners of this award include Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama, 2022), Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan, 2021), and Tommie Harris (Oklahoma, 2003).
Kelvin Banks Jr. might be there for the taking in the 2025 NFL Draft
Chicago Bears fans should familiarize themselves with Kelvin Banks Jr. as soon as possible. Firstly, Banks and the Texas Longhorns will play in the upcoming college football playoff bracket later this month. So, if you want an eyes-on look at one of college football’s best linemen in what figures to be intense competition, your shot will be coming soon. Secondly, Banks is one of the best draft-eligible linemen in this class. And thirdly, his name has been connected to the Bears in all sorts of mock drafts. And while it is too early to view mock drafts as being predictive, it is not too soon to start taking notes on where players are going.
Kelvin Banks Jr. lands in Chicago in Dane Brugler’s first mock draft at The Athletic. Here is what Brugler had to say about Banks as a Bears fit:
Some teams view Banks as a tackle; others see him as a guard. Personally, I think this is a tad early in Round 1 for him. But the Bears need to add quality offensive linemen to the mix, and Banks could be a potential answer at several spots.
The Bears need quality offensive linemen, to be sure. But this team also needs an influx of good vibes. Banks’ arrival from a winning University of Texas program with all sorts of accolades could help build the kind of culture this team talks about having but doesn’t. Seriously, look at what he has done over the last three seasons:
- 2024: First-team All-American, First-team All-SEC, Outland Trophy, Lombardi Trophy.
- 2023: Second-team All-American, First-team All-Big 12
- 2022: Second-team All-Big 12
The 6-foot-4-inch, 320-pound offensive lineman could play guard or tackle in Chicago. The left tackle position could open up after the 2025 season when Braxton Jones’ rookie deal expires. Darnell Wright is thriving as the team’s right tackle, so I wouldn’t change that dynamic. But Kelvin Banks Jr. could be an immediate fit along the interior of the offensive line. Unless the Bears offer Teven Jenkins an extension, they’ll begin the offseason with two open guard spots. And if it isn’t Banks, there are a bunch of other notable draft-eligible offensive line prospects that Patrick highlighted earlier in the year. Hopefully, the Bears can land (at least) one as they rebuild the line for 2025.
