As the Texas Longhorns offense has been hard to stop this season, Kelvin Banks Jr. has been at the center of their success. On Tuesday, the talented junior received national recognition for his play. He was named one of three finalists for the 2024 Outland Trophy, which is given annually to the best college interior lineman on offense or defense.
During his three years in Austin, Banks has started 38 games and been a model of consistency. With Banks providing veteran leadership on the offensive line, the Longhorns rank 12th in passing efficiency, 13th in completion percentage, and 18th in total offense.
As Banks has seen his stock rise, he has added to his trophy case. The Humble Texas native has been named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week twice and Outland Trophy’s National Player of the Week once during the 2024 campaign. Before the season started, the Associated Press, CBS Sports, ESPN, Sporting News, and The Athletic named him a preseason First-Team All-America.
Over the last two weeks, Banks and the offensive line has come through during game-clinching drives. Against Arkansas, Texas ran out the last 6:55 minutes of the game by getting four first downs. Last week, with the Longhorns clinging to a 24-14 lead, Banks cleared the way for an 86-yard touchdown drive to put the game out of reach.
While Banks is focused on helping the Longhorns win a national championship, he won’t have to wait long to know if he will add an Outland Trophy to his long list of accolades. The winner of the 2024 Outland Trophy will be announced on December 12.