(Photo: 247Sports)
With NFL Free Agency officially in its twilight stages, all 32 franchises across the league have shifted their focus to the 2025 NFL Draft. The Chicago Bears will be one of the most active teams on draft weekend, and with four picks inside the top 75, general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson will have plenty of opportunities to add quality talent to the roster.
The front office decided to allocate a lot of resources to the offensive line this offseason. Before the start of free agency, Chicago acquired veterans Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney via trade and signed center Drew Dalman to a three-year deal in the opening hours of free agency.
A revamped interior has generated some excitement but with the No. 10 overall pick, the Bears could still add to the offensive line. Braxton Jones is coming off a season-ending injury and heading into the last year of his deal.
If the front office wants to upgrade left tackle, one of the most intriguing names to watch will be Texas Longhorns left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., a player who has been labeled as one of the nation's top offensive linemen prospects dating back to last summer.
Let's get into our scouting report on Banks.
Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas, (6-foot-5, 315 pounds)
From his NFL.com draft profile via Lance Zierlein:
"Three-year starter who has gone to battle in the trenches with current and future pros. Banks will come into the league as an early starter but his run blocking is more pro-ready than his pass protection. He's technically sound and scrappy in the ground game, with the quickness and athleticism to get to all move blocks. He has the leverage and strain to hold his own at the point. Banks has the slide quickness to deal with speed, but he must become more proactive in attacking power rushers and long-limbed attackers to prevent them from dictating the terms. He needs to improve his anchor and hand placement but he should become a long-time NFL starter at either tackle or guard."
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