New Orleans Saints Draft Pick Named Team's Top Offseason Addition

The New Orleans Saints' first-round pick is already receiving praise.

Pro Football Focus posted a list of each team's best offseason addition , naming ninth overall pick Kelvin Banks Jr. as the best addition for the Saints.

PFF's article, written by Dalton Wasserman, highlighted the team's last-placed pass-blocking ranking from PFF in 2024 as a core reason New Orleans made the right decision with Banks. The Saints will be starting a young quarterback in 2025, and keeping their signal caller upright will go a long way.

Banks earned an 89.9 pass-blocking grade from PFF in 2024 with the Texas Longhorns and presents one of the highest ceilings of the offensive linemen from the recent NFL Draft class. The first-round pick has explosive athleticism for his size and plays very disciplined at his position.

New Orleans has indicated Banks will play his college position of left tackle for them in 2025, allowing 2024 first-round pick Taliese Fuaga to slide to right tackle — which he played with Oregon State. Fuaga has been a hit draft selection and was a standout for the Saints' offensive line as a rookie. If Banks pans out as the team's future at left tackle, New Orleans will have solidified their offensive line with question marks only at left guard.

As mentioned earlier, the Saints will have a first-time starter at quarterback in 2025. If it's rookie Tyler Shough or second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler, the offensive line will have to be at its best to help the young signal-caller succeed. From having to keep their quarterback up in pass protection to making life easier for him with an effective running game, the offensive line will play a significant role in their quarterback's development.

The selection of Kelvin Banks Jr. was the easy choice. While some fans were unhappy with the decision to take a tackle in the first round for a second year in a row, the Saints' disciplined drafting should set the team's offense up for years to come.