Earlier this morning, Tennessee landed a commitment from in-state running back Jeremy Banks. The in-state back from Cordova, Tennessee, committed alongside teammate Jerome Carvin, a four-star offensive lineman.
Banks is listed as a composite three-star back according to 247sports, but Rivals.com lists him as a four-star prospect. He is the No. 17 player in in the state according to 247Sports, and he is the 24th running back in the nation.
It appeared as though Banks was heading elsewhere to play football earlier in his recruitment, but Tennessee made a hard push to sign the three-star back as the early signing period neared. Head coach Jeremy Pruitt and assistant coach Robert Gillespie took an in-home visit to see Banks on December 12th, and Banks visited Tennessee this past weekend.
https://twitter.com/jeremybanks32/status/943318156835217408
Banks first started to gain attention at a regional Nike’s The Opening event in New Orleans. The 6-foot-2, 215 pound back wowed scouts with his big frame and quick acceleration at the event.
A look at his film shows a powerful back that runs hard downhill but still has the capability to make defenders miss. Banks runs with a lot of power and can break plenty of tackles as well. He runs with a low center of gravity and posses big play potential. In his senior season at Cordova High School, Banks rushed for 1,941 yards on just 198 carries and recorded 32 touchdowns. That’s good for an average of 9.8 yards a carry. That’s a very impressive number, especially considering he played in the highest division of football in the state.
Not sold yet? Check out this highlight run from his senior season:
Check out this clip from newly-signed Vol running back Jeremy Banks. Talk about explosive: pic.twitter.com/FgKe3yHxWP
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) December 20, 2017
He may not have the shine of a big time recruit, but Banks certainly has all the tools to be a successful running back in the SEC. The Vols may have found themselves a diamond in the rough in Jeremy Banks.
This article was written by RTI contributor Charley Collier
