Bucs Take CB Johnthan Banks In Second Round
April 26th, 2013
Rockstar general manager Mark Dominik stood his ground, hung in and kept the Bucs’ No. 43 overall pick, snagging cornerback Johnthan Banks out of Mississippi State moments ago.
Now Bucs fans can exhale knowing the team is no longer painfully thin at cornerback. If Ronde Barber decides to return, then the Bucs will have legitimate, quality depth.
Banks is an interesting, versatile pick. He’s considered a “press corner” and stands 6-2, 185 pounds without blazing speed. He’s a playmaker who was a converted safety. He’s also a more mature talent, given that he was a four-year starter and turns 24 in October.
The Bucs tried to score a “long” corner in Myron Lewis three years ago, but that didn’t pan out. However, the desire for that uncoachable length remained a priority for the Bucs.
The reality is unreliable Eric Wright will be counted on heavily in 2013, and if Wright succeeds, he’ll be a coveted unrestricted free agent after the season. For that reason, Banks appears to be a wise pick for the short-term and long-term.
Ironically, a Banks analysis on NFL.com compares his skills to those of Aqib Talib.
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
Getting bigger, but still quite thin, especially in his lower half. Stronger backs can still carry him when they have a head of steam and physical receivers can block him on the edge and separate from him easily downfield. Plays a bit tall, will miss tackles coming in high and lacks strength to arm tackle receivers. Does not have elite straight-line speed, will not recover once losing a step. Rarely backpedals, asked to play mostly off-coverages and opens his hips early to prevent getting beat deep. Inconsistent looking for and finding the ball in the air, miss-timing jumps and taking bad angles to the ball. Can get caught peeking in the backfield.
NFL COMPARISON
Aqib Talib
BOTTOM LINE
SEC receivers were hoping Banks would head to the NFL after his second-team All-SEC junior season, but they had to deal with the tall, lean three-year starter’s ball skills and competitive streak for another season before he headed off to challenge pro receivers. He has experience playing a number of spots in the secondary, beginning his career as a safety, before eventually settling on the boundary corner and nickel spots. His skills is man coverage were under-utilized at Mississippi State, and if he can keep adding weight to his long, wiry frame, has the potential to be an excellent press-man corner, a skill that will make get him selected in the top 40 picks.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:27 pm
Just what we needed
April 26th, 2013 at 7:28 pm
Called Banks!
April 26th, 2013 at 7:29 pm
Can he rush the passer?
April 26th, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Solid pick. He’s very polished, much more so than the other CB’s available who may run a half step faster on a track in underwear.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:31 pm
Rush the passer, the guy can do it all! One of the hardest hitting cbs.speed is good not great but with goldson behind him who cares.revis will be on Barron’s side, it’s perfect.ronde plays safety and wright will prob start season then be backup
April 26th, 2013 at 7:31 pm
Perfect pick for Tampa!
April 26th, 2013 at 7:31 pm
Great…a guy that’s slower than my grandfather and Talib
April 26th, 2013 at 7:31 pm
Awesome pick to solidify this secondary and make it a strength on this team. When I saw this it sold me on banks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr_i3uH8UQE
Congrats on joining the no fly zone Banks.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:33 pm
I’m happy with Banks
April 26th, 2013 at 7:33 pm
Wow, all this wait for an ok CB
April 26th, 2013 at 7:34 pm
Good pick, I liked the guy from Boise St better. With all the love Margus Hunt was getting, I was thinking he was the pick. Hope we get some DT and DE help.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:35 pm
JB Highlights: http://youtu.be/9FuEbHN2YGs
April 26th, 2013 at 7:35 pm
But the Bucs scouts said the same thing about Eric Wright last year. Have the scouts changed? And what will we do with Wright?
April 26th, 2013 at 7:35 pm
He is basically an Aqib Talib that doesn’t smoke weed and get in trouble
April 26th, 2013 at 7:39 pm
All right then!
April 26th, 2013 at 7:39 pm
Round 3 likely to be a DT, DE or TE. Brandon Williams, William Gholston, Travis Kelce or Vance McDonald.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:40 pm
I like this pick, now lets get a pass rusher!
April 26th, 2013 at 7:41 pm
And he is slooooow.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:41 pm
Why are some of you wondering what happens to Wright or Banks etc..?
It seems obvious that Banks is there as a backup to Wright and Revis, a possible solution at nickel if Barber does not come back, and to learn for a year under those guys because next year is when he will be counted on to start.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:43 pm
I think it’s an OK pick. We need CB depth. But I just thought a more pressing need was a pass rush. Our next pick better be a DT.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:44 pm
I also think it is funny how some of you think he is so slow. He is not a burner at CB but he is a playmaker and is not SLOOOOOOW, as some say. Those 40 times at the combine are BS. IT is all about game speed and most the time he showed it.
For the record his 40 time is faster than Jerry Rice’s time of 4.7. There are hundreds of examples like that.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:46 pm
Banks won the Jim Thorpe award as the best CB in college football, and playing in the SEC. That was no gift, this guy can play. For the NFL, a few more pounds will help. He’s a ball hawk, best game against……drumroll…..Tim Tebow at UF!
April 26th, 2013 at 7:48 pm
Anyone saying Banks is slow doesn’t know football. Go home. Either that or keep quiet and let the grown-ups talk. Being a tenth of a second faster on an indoor track in underwear means nothing in a real football game.
Watch his film and you’ll see great playing speed. Watch his INT’s, how he outruns everyone on the field to score a pick six. He never got beat deep on any play I ever saw except once by Andre DeBose of Florida, but DeBose beat many top CB’s deep including Dee Milliner.
Banks was by far the best available CB at that pick. Mayock and every other “expert” had him ranked there, too. So get over it and get behind your team you damn whiners.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:48 pm
Well Dave Jerry was slow too he was just a great rout runner and great hands. It’s different when you are a CB, how many great CB’s are slooooow?
April 26th, 2013 at 7:49 pm
We love or hate the pick on draft day. Its the next 3 years that tell the tale. Speed is not as important as twitch and instincts.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:49 pm
Glad to hear all those good things about him. Hope he starts. Ballhawk is good. I hear he is pretty good at punt returns too. A big plus and need for the Bucs. I’m happy. Next, a pass rusher.
April 26th, 2013 at 7:53 pm
Knock on Ronde was he was slow…same with Emmitt…I like the pick
April 26th, 2013 at 8:04 pm
Oldguy, the people who scout pro players, and those who scout college players, are different people.
April 26th, 2013 at 8:05 pm
If anyone claims that Banks didn’t get burned but once, hasn’t watch tape on the guy and need to be quiet. He is slow and weak and if not because he played off receivers he would’ve gotten burned even more.
April 26th, 2013 at 8:08 pm
Ronde wasn’t asked to play man with the receivers and he is a smart player something we have to wait and see with Banks.
April 26th, 2013 at 8:08 pm
Ronde ran s 4.63…at 5’11 185…..great instincts. Now he’ s a future HOFer.
April 26th, 2013 at 8:14 pm
What does speed matter when Barron and Gholdson are there to back you up? “His skills in man coverage were under-utilized” I think about sums it up. Great fit, and this guy has a great story too. The weakest unit on the team may have just become the strongest!!
April 26th, 2013 at 8:18 pm
He’s the second coming of Eric Wright..
April 26th, 2013 at 8:21 pm
Mike – You’re right. But I checked. The scouts said the same thing when Wright was drafted out of college. Sorry for the confusion.
April 26th, 2013 at 8:23 pm
I’m really not in love with this pick. Reading that he tends to get beat deep among other issues. Jamar Taylor was on the board. I think this’ll be another infamous lost 2nd round pick.
April 26th, 2013 at 8:34 pm
None of you are pro scouts or anything else that would make your opinioin better than Dom and Schiano… how about lettin the guy take a snap before posting negative predictions for his future. Sheesh.
April 26th, 2013 at 9:09 pm
Supposedly Banks ran a 4.51 at his proday after the combine either way he’s gonna be a heck of a player.
April 26th, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Richard Sherman ran a 4.56 40. He is doing well
April 27th, 2013 at 6:32 am
Sneedy16
Sherman is taller, stronger, faster, and lack of speed or getting beaten deep was never a weakness. Get your facts right.
April 27th, 2013 at 6:55 am
I pray he does good but im a little skeptical. We run more of a press man coverage and he played alot of off man coverage. he has decent speed and isn’t as physical as scouting reports suggest. if his man gets a step in him it’s over as he doesn’t have enough speed 2 recover. I like his instincts, quick feet and size. I see him as our #2 cb and making Wright play tha nickel so he can cover tha more shifty slot receivers.