No one could have predicted how the first five picks of the 2025 NFL Draft actually played out. But it seemed like Ashton Jeanty going to the Las Vegas Raiders was a foregone conclusion. But in the world of the draft, this is never the case. According to recent reporting, had the Jacksonville Jaguars not executed a trade up for Travis Hunter, they would have taken Jeanty ahead of the Raiders.
But they did, which left the Raiders in a position to draft Jeanty. Now, reporting has revealed who they had their eye on had Jeanty gone before pick six.
Las Vegas Raiders Looking For O-Line If Ashton Jeanty Picked
According to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, the Raiders were prepared to pivot to their offensive line had Jeanty been selected earlier. The team’s primary target in that scenario was expected to be Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr.
Reports leading up to the draft indicated that Las Vegas was considering Banks or Missouri tackle Armand Membou, even with Jeanty being their preferred choice. A subsequent report identified Banks as the team’s likely choice over Membou. However, with Jeanty still available at No. 6, this alternative scenario did not materialize. Banks was ultimately selected by the Saints with the ninth overall pick.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Banks as the 2nd best guard and the 26th best prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, writing, “Banks doesn’t have ideal length and needs to improve his sustain tactics to be a consistent finisher against NFL talent, but he has controlled footwork and depth in his pass sets, plus the fundamental know-how to fit and leverage blocks and keep defenders occupied. He projects as an immediate NFL starter who can stay at tackle, although his best long-term position might be guard.”
With their third general manager in as many years, the Raiders did not address their offensive line until the third round, where they selected Texas Tech guard Caleb Rogers and William & Mary tackle Charles Grant. Grant joins incumbent DJ Glaze, a 2024 third-round pick, as a potential right tackle option. Left tackle Kolton Miller has also expressed interest in a new contract, adding another layer of complexity to the situation. The Raiders’ interior offensive line is currently expected to feature Alex Cappa, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Dylan Parham, and Jordan Meredith, with Rogers now factoring into the competition.
Banks, who earned the Outland and Lombardi awards last year and received first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2023, was selected by the Saints, who have now drafted a tackle in the first round for the second consecutive year. He is expected to protect Derek Carr (or Tyler Shough).