Deonte Banks

OVERVIEW

Summary: A feisty fighter with elite speed and jumping ability, Banks is mentally and physically ready to challenge even the top NFL receivers. He gave a glimpse of that against Ohio State, and 2024 top-five wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.  At 6-0, 197, Banks burned through 40 yards in 4.35 seconds and showed his explosiveness with jumps of 42 inches in the vertical and 11 feet, four inches in the broad. He is aggressive to a fault with five pass interference and two holding penalties in 2022. Career stats seem a bit anemic with 13 total passes defensed — nine last season — and only one interception. Was knocked out of 2021 season with a serious shoulder injury, but came back last year after surgery.

FRANKLY: This draft has at least 15 players capable of playing the difficult position of cornerback in the NFL. Banks is one of the top three or four, thanks especially to his extraordinary physicality, attitude, speed and jumping ability. Looks like a late first- or early second-round pick.

STATS

YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS   TFL   SACK    FF     PD    INT

2019: (11/8)        28       0.0      0.0         0       3       1

2020: (5/3)          11       0.0      0.0         0       1       0

2021: (2/2)           6        0.0      0.0         0       0       0

2022: (12/8)        38       0.5      0.5         0       9       1

Total: (30/21)      83       0.5      0.5         0      13      2

HISTORY — From college profile

Career Honors

• 2022 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten

Career highs
Tackles — 6 (2x, last vs Purdue, 10/8/22)
Interceptions — 1 (2x, last at Indiana, 10/15/22)
Pass Breakups — 1 (4x, last at No. 4 Michigan, 9/24/22)

Senior (2022): Totaled 38 tackles (25 solo), eight pass breakups, one interception and a half-sack ... Tallied four solo tackles in win at Charlotte (9/10)...Broke up a pass and recorded two tackles vs. SMU (9/17)...Recorded three tackles (two solo) and a pass breakup at #4 Michigan (9/24)... Matched a career high with six tackles (three solo) while recording half sack and pass break-up vs Purdue (10/8)... Recorded first interception since 2019, picking off Indiana QB Connor Bazelak on first Hoosiers play of the second half to go with four tackles (three solo) at Indiana (10/15)... Tallied three tackles and a pass breakup in win over Northwestern (10/22)... Broke up a career-best two passes at Wisconsin (11/5)... Notched four tackles (three solo) at #14 Penn State (11/12)... Matched a career-best two pass breakups and blocked an extra point, which was returned by CB Jakorian Bennett to the end zone to go with four tackles vs. No. 2 Ohio State (11/19)

Junior (2021): Started in first two games of season vs. West Virginia (9/4) and Howard (9/11) before suffering season ending injury in Howard game ... Totaled six tackles (four solo) ... Tallied five tackles (four solo) in season opening win over West Virginia (9/4)

Sophomore (2020): Appeared in all five games with three starts at defensive back ... Posted 11 tackles (10 solo) and one pass breakup ... Broke up a pass and had two tackles vs. Rutgers (12/12) ... Tabbed four tackles in season opener at Northwestern (10/24).

Freshman (2019): Appeared in 11 games with eight starts at defensive back ...Tallied 28 tackles (22 solo) with one interception and two pass breakups ... Started in final eight games of season ... Recorded first career interception, picking off Brian Lewerke in first quarter of season finale at Michigan State (11/30) ... Tabbed six solo tackles, his career-high vs. Nebraska (11/23) ... Tallied five solo tackles and a pass breakup at Purdue (10/12) ... Earned first start of career at Rutgers (10/5), tallying three tackles ... Debuted in season opener vs. Howard (8/31).