If the preseason is any indication of what the real thing is going to look like, the New Orleans Saints appear to have landed their left tackle of the present and future in Kelvin Banks Jr.
The No. 9 overall pick has performed admirably in the first two preseason games, but especially in his Superdome debut last week, when he did not allow a single pressure in 10 pass blocking snaps.
More than half of those snaps came against the Jacksonville Jaguars excellent edge rusher duo, Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, a pair that combined to record 18.5 sacks last season.
“They’re different styles of rusher, there’s multiple things they can throw at you,” Banks said of going up against Walker and Hines-Allen. “… Just getting that little taste of it is helping me out a lot, for sure, just being able to get ready for the regular season.”
According to Pro Football Focus, Banks has been the highest-graded pass blocker among NFL offensive tackles through the first two weeks of the preseason, checking in with an 88.1 grade (out of 100).
The scouting service has not credited a single pressure or hurry against Banks in 22 opportunities in pass protection.
Banks has locked down the starting left tackle job since the moment he arrived with the Saints. While there are still areas he needs to work on — PFF, for instance, has not graded him well as a run blocker — Banks said the biggest thing he’s learned about himself as a pro is his “determination to get better.”
“There have been ups and downs, I’ve lost reps, I’ve won reps, just understanding when you do lose you’ve got to learn from that mistake and move on,” Banks said.