Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks proved to be a dominating presence in his final college season.
Banks won the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award as the nation’s best lineman. And it is clear he believes he would be a good fit for the 49ers.
Banks had a formal meeting with the 49ers at the NFL Scouting Combine. There is a possibility the 49ers could target him with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 49ers’ one and only chance at landing a guaranteed starting offensive tackle will come in the first round of the draft. And San Francisco might need a new starter at that position in relatively short order.
Left tackle Trent Williams turns 37 in July, and right tackle Colton McKivitz enters the final year of his contract.
Banks’ size (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) and athleticism give him a good chance at success in the 49ers’ outside zone running scheme.
“Even when I get in bad situations, I can recover well because I keep my feet active,” Banks said.
San Francisco 49ers
Most draft experts rank Banks as the third offensive lineman in the draft, behind LSU’s Will Campbell and Missouri’s Armand Membou. If those players are selected in the top 10, as expected, Banks could be there when the 49ers are on the clock.
Banks' times of 5.16 seconds in the 40-yard dash and a 10-yard split of 1.79 seconds were respectable but behind Campbell (4.98 and 1.76) and Membou (4.91 and 1.74).
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Still, he should have plenty of athleticism to get the job done.
Banks also met with the Miami Dolphins at the combine. Under former 49ers assistant Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins run an offense based on Kyle Shanahan’s system.
“So we run almost the same plays, the same type of scheme,” Banks said, comparing his college offense at Texas to the Dolphins’ scheme. “So it'll be an easy fit for me just to plug and play in their offense."
Banks finished last season as the PFF’s top-rated offensive tackle in the country. He allowed one sack, two quarterback hits and seven pressures in 538 pass-blocking snaps.
“He is nimble to adjust and pick off defenders at the second level and on the perimeter,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote of Banks. “Some teams see him as more of a guard, but I believe he can hold up at tackle. Overall, Banks has some things to clean up, but I like his core foundation of strength and agility.”
Of course, the 49ers have a lot of other positions to consider when it is general manager John Lynch’s turn to make a selection.
The 49ers’ biggest draft need is on the defensive line, a position the 49ers likely are to address with more than one of their picks. But San Francisco would have to be convinced Banks is a game-changing player to select at No. 11.
Otherwise, they will hold off on addressing their needs on the offensive line.
