Coming into the draft, the Jaguars had become connected to Ashton Jeanty. Even as the team did not conduct any “30” visits, late buzz developed for the 2024 Heisman runner-up to become a weapon in Liam Coen‘s first Jags offense. As it turned out, the team had been planning a move for the Heisman recipient for weeks.
The Jags’ Travis Hunter trade-up still left Jeanty on the board for the Browns, who entered the draft as a running back-needy team after seeing two major injuries end Nick Chubb‘s prime. Even with Chubb in free agency, the Browns tabled their RB need to Day 2 of the draft by taking Mason Graham. This left the Raiders free and clear to draft Jeanty, to whom they had been closely tied as the draft approached.
If Jeanty became the first top-five RB pick since Saquon Barkley, however, the Raiders are believed to have been ready to pivot to their offensive line. The Raiders’ pick in that scenario was expected to have been Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur.
Las Vegas going with Banks or Missouri tackle Armand Membou surfaced as moves to watch for before the draft, even as Jeanty loomed as the organization’s preference. A subsequent report identified Banks as the team’s likely choice over Membou. With Jeanty still being available at No. 6, this alternate reality did not unfold. Banks is now a Saint, being taken ninth overall.
Not ranked as highly by draft experts going into the event, Banks was viewed higher within the NFL scouting community. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranked Banks 26th, while NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah had him 27th. He was viewed as a potential Cowboys target at 12; ditto the Dolphins at 13. But teams were higher on the former SEC and Big 12 blocker. Banks earned the Outland and Lombardi awards last year, after earning first-team All-Big 12 acclaim in 2023. The Saints, who went tackle in Round 1 for the second straight year, took him at No. 9 and will entrust him to protect Derek Carr (or Tyler Shough).
With a third GM running their draft in three years, the Raiders did not address their O-line until Round 3. But they added two players (Texas Tech guard Caleb Rogers and William & Mary tackle Charles Grant). Grant stands to join incumbent DJ Glaze, a 2024 third-rounder, as a potential right tackle option. LT Kolton Miller has angled for a new contract as well, adding a potential wrinkle here. The Raiders are set to have Alex Cappa, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Dylan Parham and Jordan Meredith vie for the three interior spots; Rogers will now factor into this mix.