These Texas Longhorns were selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Kelvin Banks Jr. is headed to New Orleans.
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.
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."
Broncos select Jahdae Barron with pick No. 20
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.
Golden selected No. 23 by draft hosts Green Bay Packers
To a thunderous roar of cheers from the Cheeseheads in attendance, the Green Bay Packers picked Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden with the 23rd pick. He's the 50th Texas player to be selected in the first round.
Golden turned heads at the scouting combine when he turned in a 4.29-second 40-yard dash, the fastest among wide receivers.
In one season with Texas after transferring from Houston, Golden caught 58 passes for 987 yards with nine touchdowns, including an overtime score on a fourth-and-13 play in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. He had seven catches for 149 yards in that game. He racked up 162 receiving yards in the Southeastern Conference championship game against Georgia.
It's the first time since 2002 that the Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round. They picked Javon Walker out of Florida State. Spotrac values the No. 23 pick's contract at around $17.5 million.
Rounds 2-3 will be Friday, with the remaining rounds 4-7 on Saturday. Texas sent 14 players to the scouting combine, a program record, and 21 Longhorns are draft eligible.
Dallas selected Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker with the No. 12 pick. Cincinnati selected Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart with the No. 17 pick.
Tennessee selected Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick. Jacksonville traded with Cleveland for the No. 2 pick, and they selected two-way star Travis Hunter from Colorado.
Many expected Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders, to be drafted in the first round. He wasn't selected Thursday and will have to wait until the second round gets going Friday to hear his name called. The New York Giants traded with the Houston Texans to get back in the first round at No. 25 to take a quarterback, selecting Mississippi's Jaxson Dart.