These Texas Longhorns were selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft
The Saints selected the All-American left tackle for the Texas Longhorns at No. 9 overall in the 2025 NFL draft Thursday, addressing a need to keep Derek Carr (or the next quarterback) upright to direct the offense of new head coach Kellen Moore.
Banks is the first Longhorn off the board, and according to data from Spotrac, the contract value for the No. 9 pick is roughly $27.7 million over four years. He’s the 48th Texas player to be taken in the first round in NFL draft history and the 25th inside of the top 10.
Banks started all 42 games he played across three seasons at Texas, winning the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy in 2024, helping lead the Longhorns to their second consecutive College Football Playoff semifinal appearance.
Every pick of the 2025 NFL Draft
Banks wasn’t at the draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He was at home in Houston with his family when his name was called. He said he’s happy that a team close to his home selected him.
“It’s very gratifying, just because I could have went anywhere, but the Saints chose me,” he said. “It’s basically right down the street, so I get to see my family a bunch and they get to come to all the home games whenever they want to really. It’s definitely a good feeling.”
Barron joins Patrick Surtain II in the Denver secondary, bolstering a unit that allowed 4,112 passing yards last season, ninth-most in the NFL.
The 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner and Associated Press first team All-American was the heartbeat of the Longhorns’ defense last season, which was one of the nation’s best. He becomes the 49th Longhorn to be drafted in the first round.
He was the defensive MVP of the 2025 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl with 11 tackles, and he had five interceptions this past season. He made eight interceptions in his career with 32 passes defended and 19.5 tackles for loss.
“This year, we really made him our starting corner, and he has become a lockdown guy at that spot,” Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said. “As a DB, what more do you want than a guy who can make plays on the ball? On top of that, he’s a great leader, a great teammate, will be active in the community and be a guy that the Broncos are thrilled they selected in the first round.”
Spotrac data values the No. 20 pick at around $18.1 million.