Saints Shock Fans, Draft Texas OL Kelvin Banks Jr. Over Highly-Touted QBs in 2025 NFL Draft

In the tumultuous world of professional football, where quarterback stability is as paramount as it is fleeting, the New Orleans Saints faced a draft that was akin to a high-stakes chess game. With the clock ticking due to Derek Carr’s uncertain future thanks to a shoulder injury that may require surgery, I found myself watching the Saints’ draft strategy with bated breath. The expectation was that they’d grab one of the top quarterback prospects, a move that would inject not just life but certainty into their lineup. Instead, they lobbed a curveball I wasn’t quite prepared for.

Selecting Texas’s offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. at the ninth spot was a move I hadn’t penned into my draft notebook. Instead of diving into the whirlwind of quarterback possibilities, where names like Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart were practically ringing their phones off the hook in anticipation, the Saints went for a protector, a guardian of the pocket. This decision left me pondering, did they have an eye on the 2026 quarterback class, rumored to be rich with talent including a local hero in Arch Manning, or was this simply a play to future-proof the offensive line?

This draft choice, while somewhat underwhelming in the immediate thrill of quarterback roulette, might actually be prescient in the long-term chess match of NFL team-building. The Saints’ move towards bolstering the offensive line could prove to be a masterclass in preserving future assets, ensuring that whoever helms the ship next year does so under the safest possible conditions. However, it’s an intriguing signal – one that whispers of patience, of strategy, and perhaps, a subtle nod to a deeper plan that I, for one, am keen to see unfold.

But it does leave one to wonder: what is their endgame? Is there a grander scheme at play, or is this merely a calculated punt? The air of mystery, thick as the Louisiana fog, certainly adds to the intrigue of the coming season. LEARN MORE.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe New Orleans Saints came into the NFL Draft with plenty of questions at quarterback. They didn’t answer any of them with the ninth overall pick of the draft.

AdvertisementKelvin Banks Jr. of the Texas Longhorns was the Saints’ choice with the ninth pick of the NFL Draft. (Photo by Adam Hagy/CFP/Getty Images)

The Saints instead picked Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. with the ninth pick.For a couple of weeks leading up to the draft, the Saints seemed like a good bet to pick a quarterback ninth overall. They took an offensive lineman to protect whoever their 2025 quarterback is instead. That might help whoever does end up being the Saints’ choice as their quarterback of the future.