Richard Sherman, Joe Haden, Brandon Browner, etc. None of them ran fast. People will talk Banks down now based on seven tenths of a second and ignore the game film. It's the danger of the Combine. People get weak kneed over times. Alas, history's littered with guys who ran 4.3 and didn't amount to a lick.
I'm glad you said this because people respect your opinion around here more than anyone else's. I was going to say it myself.
Exactly! All one has to do is put the film of him playing against Tennessee on to see him stick to Patterson and Hunter like he was glue. Patterson and Hunter combined for 4 receptions for 66 yards against Banks and Slay in this game. Their leading receiver was Zach Rogers in this game.
But even Mayock (whose opinion I highly respect) said he watched tape on Banks. Against Alabama, Banks was "hip to hip in the slot" with a receiver until the ball was in the air, essentially getting beat deep for a 57 yarder. Pre-combine, Mayock wondered if this was his inability to locate the ball or if he lacked the top end speed to run with the receiver? These numbers might confirm that he may not have the top end speed to keep up with those going deep. In an earlier post, I wondered if it was miscommunication on D? We could have our answer. Let's see if he dramatically improves on his Pro Day. As much as I am awed with one's ability to run a quick 40, I also take into consideration what I have seen from a player. These numbers do hold water (in a sense), and there is even an explanation on NFL.com of the reasoning behind the drills. I was willing to give Banks the benefit of my doubts, especially since he's a MS kid, but I just do not see it. I certainly could be wrong with him, and I am genuinely pulling for him. I think he was very good in college, but I see some glaring holes that could come around at the next level. I am not sure that it was coaching, either, because they have a solid staff and have had a pretty stout D up in Starkville for a while now.
Haden was a true 4.4 guy but Boomer is exactly right. Don't have to run a 4.3x to be a shutdown CB. Haden ran a terrible combine simply because he was given the worst advice/sprinting coaching anyone had ever seen.
Yeah, if you want to ignore that he was playing with a knee injury, and that it was actually Nickoe Whiltey that got burned.
But is it littered with 4.6 guys who ran shuttles over 4 seconds and made a Pro Bowl at corner? Because we are talking about the 12th pick, and I think you're looking for a top corner, not 'just a guy' or a 'good enough to start' guy.
Agree and it's why Banks is still a first rounder, but to me, I'm now concerned about him at 12... This is a guy who is not good in run support and now has other slight knocks. Is he a ballhawk? Absolutely. Instincts? Amazing. Body control? Fantastic. 12th overall? Questionable.
I heard. After the Tennessee game, right? He certainly did not look good after that; neither at Alabama or at A&M (or against us). I still have big questions about his physicality and his poor tackling technique. I understand he has a slight frame, but football is football and people play hurt/injured quite frequently; right or wrong as it may be. I point to Patrick Willis in college: separated shoulder, broken finger, sprained knee, sprained foot.....all in the same year. Willis came to play. I am not sure Banks always does. My point being, if Banks is considered at #12 (Willis was taken there), I need to see more. I would not be disappointed if he was taken in the 2nd round by Miami, but given the pressure of finding good corners, sometimes their stocks rise a little higher than "true value" given the importance of the position. Just curious. Play GM; what is your draft value on Banks? Early first? Late first? Early second?
Johnthan Banks has slightly faster 40 at Mississippi State Pro Day Johnthan Banks, CB (6-foot-2, 186 pounds) — Banks ran the 40-yard dash in 4.58 and 4.59 seconds, had a 4.28-second short shuttle, and a 34 1/2-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-6 broad jump. While his 40 time was slightly better than the 4.61 seconds he ran at the NFL Scouting Combine, Banks looked good in the positional workout. http://blogs.nfl.com/2013/03/06/joh...htly-faster-40-at-mississippi-states-pro-day/
The poor 40 time, poor shuttle, and mediocre vertical isn't going to help elevate him back up to being the 2nd corner like many of us thought a month ago. I would say the odds are about 50/50 we will have the chance to pick him at 42 and depending on what we do at pick 12, should consider it. This could be reminiscent to 1997 when a poor 40 time dropped Sam Madison down to the 2nd round. Sam ran a 4.56 at the combine that year.
Agree that the Pro Day hasn't allayed the combine knock, BUT Banks is so good on film I don't see him making it to our second round pick. He will go in the late teens or twenties, and rightly so. He's super-talented.
If we didn't take a CB at #12 I'd love for us to take Banks at #42. Heck, I'd like us to take him even if we took one in the 1st rd (just likely not my 1st choice). I think he's really good.