Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr. named 2024 Lombardi Award winner

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Rotary Club of Houston named Texas junior left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. the 2024 Lombardi Award winner given to college football's most outstanding lineman who also embodies the qualities of the award's namesake, legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi.

Banks had an outstanding season and is projected to be a first-round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Banks was named a recipient of the Southeastern Conference's Jacobs Blocking Trophy and a first-team all-SEC performer. He's also a finalist for the Outland Trophy, won last year by Longhorns defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat.

Banks is the first Texas player to win the Lombardi Award since Brian Orakpo in 2008. Louisiana State offensive tackle Will Campbell, South Carolina defensive lineman Kyle Kennard and Penn State defensive lineman Abdul Carter were the other finalists.

Banks started in 39 consecutive games for Texas before an ankle injury kept him out of the SEC championship game against Georgia. He was named an SEC lineman of the week twice this season and was the Outland Trophy national player of the week for Oct. 15. He was a unanimous preseason first-team All-American and in all likelihood will be named to the postseason team as well.

Texas is No. 18 in FBS averaging 445.4 total yards of offense and tied with Penn State for No. 36 in scoring offense with 33.6 points per game. The Longhorns' offensive line is a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, along with Army West Point and Oregon, which honors the country's best collective offensive line.