Kellen Moore addresses the Saints’ first-round draft pick, where Kelvin Banks will play
Kellen Moore is fired up to have Kelvin Banks Jr. in his locker room — but that’s about all you’ll get out of him when it comes to the New Orleans Saints’ first-round pick. Moore spoke with Saints media about the team’s start to the 2025 NFL draft, and it’s easy to see why the former Texas Longhorns left tackle was so appealing at the No. 9 pick.
“Again, this is a trenches game. It’s a game that’s won up front in a lot of ways,” Moore said, repeating a line he’s said often this offseason. “Obviously my background has been around that in a lot of places I’ve been, and certainly this place has invested in it. We feel like we can continue to do that. We feel like we’re building a strength in that offensive line and we’ve got a ton of really good talent there. We’re really excited to do that.
What’s fascinating is the vision for Banks and where he’ll line up. Moore says he wants the team to field their five best offensive linemen this season, not necessarily guys who have specialized in just playing one position or another. When asked whether Banks could remain at left tackle and push Taliese Fuaga to right tackle, his college position, Moore responded: “We’re going to give plenty of flexibility through this whole offseason process. Allow those guys to go through this, give ourselves the flexibility to have the best five on the field. We feel like we have depth beyond that and it’s going to be a great opportunity for us.”
Moore did concede that while the Saints are confident Banks can play offensive tackle just like he did in college — he did well against a lot of other future NFL players — they do plan on giving him a look at guard. His 6-foot-5, 315-pound frame and 33.5-inch arms may be better-suited to life inside. For his part, if that’s the role the Saints have in mind for him, Banks says he’ll embrace it. He just wants to compete and earn his spot rather than have it given to him.
Certainly, certainly feel like he’s got the flexibility to play anywhere on the offensive line, as far as the guard and tackle spots,” Moore said, pointing to other players with inside-out flexibility. When asked more pointedly, Moore replied, “We feel like, yeah, he can play tackle. He did it at Texas for three years against some of the best competition in college football. That’s big-time production right there. Within that, he also has the flexibility to go play a bunch of other stuff, which is an awesome thing.”
