Is Longhorns OT Kelvin Banks Country's Best Sophomore OL?

As he enters his second season as a Longhorn, Kelvin Banks continues to receive recognition for a dominant freshman season.

© Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

There are few positions in football that receive as little respect as the offensive line, despite their importance to the success of the offense. It doesn't matter how elite your skill positions are, a weak offensive line will make life difficult for everyone. 

For the Texas Longhorns, the offensive line helped pave the way for running back Bijan Robinson to bring home the Doak Walker Award. 

This season the Longhorns bring back their entire offensive line, with Kelvin Banks once again primed to anchor the left side of the line as a sophomore. After a dominant freshman season, Banks was named Bleacher Report's best sophomore offensive lineman.

Banks was one of Steve Sarkisian's best recruiting wins in the 2022 class, and he put that on full display from the moment he stepped on campus. He earned the starting left tackle job and started all 13 games for the Longhorns as a freshman. 

Perhaps his most impressive performance came in Week 2 against Alabama in which he held his own against outside linebacker Will Anderson, seen by some as the best player in the 2023 draft, holding him to only five tackles and just one sack. 

Now, as the Longhorns look to take another step forward offensively in year three under Sarkisian, Banks' continued development on the left side of the line will go a long way in helping them do so. 

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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