The NFL Draft kicks off with its opening spherical on April 27 in Kansas Metropolis, so Rivals is having a look again at its projected first-round picks once they had been highschool prospects. We transfer on to our projected No. 22 – Maryland defensive again Deonte Banks, who was a two-star within the 2019 class.
The place they had been ranked: Banks was a two-star prospect out of Edgewood, Md., who solely had different affords from Buffalo, Kent State and Delaware State.
Recruitment: Maryland was the dream college rising up simply exterior Baltimore and when the Terrapins provided in the summertime earlier than his senior season, Banks didn’t waste a lot time earlier than making his dedication following a go to to the Faculty Park campus.
Largest query: There is no such thing as a questioning Banks’ athleticism particularly after his phenomenal efficiency on the NFL Mix however does he belief his eyes sufficient in protection particularly when his again is to the ball?
Reminiscences: For his Edgewood crew, Banks performed everywhere in the area and whereas he was a wonderful cornerback, an argument may undoubtedly be made that he was an excellent higher offensive participant due to his playmaking potential.
All of his testing numbers weren’t accessible in highschool however he ran 4.35 within the 40, had a 42-inch vertical soar and an 11-foot, 4-inch broad soar. All of these numbers are high-end elite and will propel Banks even earlier within the first spherical.
In highschool, Banks rushed for greater than 1,600 yards and 27 complete touchdowns in his senior season and he had three interceptions. As a cornerback he performed just a little upright and stiff. However he was such an outstanding athlete that he gained floor rapidly and made performs each time anybody dared throw his approach though the competitors wasn’t the most effective.
When he dedicated to Maryland, there was a query about whether or not Banks would keep at cornerback or transfer to security for the Terrapins.
Banks solely had one interception this previous season and it got here towards Indiana however he did such an awesome job locking up receivers that quarterbacks seemed elsewhere. He pressed receivers to the sideline properly, confirmed nice closing velocity after which battled for the ball when it was within the air.
Based mostly off his athleticism and potential alone, Banks ought to’ve been larger than a two-star recruit.