Arch Manning Gets High Praise From Former Texas Longhorns Star

With the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints drafted Texas Longhorns offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., the third of three offensive linemen that were drafted in the top 10 of the draft.

Banks was an absolute brick wall for the Longhorns under Steve Sarkisian's coaching, providing protection and running lanes for running backs such as Bijan Robinson and Jaydon Blue, as well as quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and even Arch Manning for the couple of games that Ewers was out with injury in the 2024 season.

And in those couple of games that Manning was standing behind him, Banks can tell that this year is going to be a special one for the Burnt Orange.

Banks Spoke of His High Hopes For Manning

In a feature video that Louisiana's Fox 8 News reported on the Saints' new offensive lineman, he gave insight to his short time with the team in rookie camps and summer camps, as well as what it was like playing with Arch Manning in the short amount of time he did and what the future looks like with Manning under center.

Needless to say, it doesn't seem like Banks is worried about a thing.

"I think Arch is going to do well. I mean, I've been with him since he got there and I've played in the game with him when Quinn wasn't able to go out there and play," Banks told the news station. "I've seen what he can do, and I know the kind of kid he is and the type of mindset he has, too. I feel that he's going to play pretty good."

Manning did 'pretty good' by most standards in his two starts for Texas, completing 61 of 90 passes for 939 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions, while also adding 108 more yards and four touchdowns with his legs, which included the opening rushing touchdown late in the first quarter of the season finale game against the Aggies, which built up to a Longhorns win.

Manning's first challenge as "the man" in Austin is not an easy one by any means, especially since his journey doesn't even start at DKR. Instead, he and the Horns will journey up to Ohio Stadium in Columbus to take on Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes, who are not only the reigning national champions, but are the reason that the Longhorns were unable to compete for said national championship, as a late scoop and score by Ohio State linebacker Jack Sawyer sealed the deal for the Buckeyes in the 28-14 win over Texas.