Exclusive: Cardinals Host Top Prospect Kelvin Banks Amid Trade Rumors
As the draft window’s deadline looms like an overzealous referee signaling the end of a thrilling game, the Cardinals are making their last-second dash to the line—squeezing in a visit with one of this year’s standout offensive tackles. It’s a mad dash, a Hail Mary if you will, to get one more glimpse, one more interaction before prospects can only connect through screens.
Ian Rapoport, the insider who’s akin to a medieval town crier for NFL news, has confirmed that Kelvin Banks, who’s got accolades trailing him like confetti, landed in Arizona. This move is telling. It shows not only the Cardinals’ intention but their desperation to bolster their offensive line, especially after shifting their high draft pick last year, Paris Johnson.
Now, Banks isn’t just any tackle; he’s a first-team All-American, the shimmering trophy cabinet in 2024 attests to that. He’s excelled in the trenches, showcasing a prowess that has seen him claim not one but two prestigious awards this past season. Yet, with established veterans like Jonah Williams and Kelvin Beachum, the Cardinals’ quarterback might be feeling like a pastry chef with too many elite ingredients for just one dish.
These visits, the pressure-cooker environment they create, are like a last dance, an opportunity to woo, to impress, before the grand ball of the draft. And Kelvin Banks is arriving at this ball in polished attire. Will he fit the Cardinals’ style, or will another team claim him in this year’s high-stakes draft?
Banks was a first-team All-American in 2024 after making the second team for his play at left tackle with the Longhorns in 2023 and he also won the Lombardi and Outland Awards for the 2024 season. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Kelvin Banks is meeting with the Cardinals. Arizona has the 16th overall pick in the draft. The Cardinals are squeezing in a visit with one of the top offensive tackles in this year’s draft class before the window for prospects to come to team facilities closes on Wednesday. The Cardinals moved 2023 first round pick Paris Johnson from right tackle to left tackle last season. They also have veterans Jonah Williams and Kelvin Beachum at tackle.
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