NFL Draft Profile: Sevyn Banks, Cornerback, LSU Tigers

NFL draft profile scouting report for LSU cornerback, Sevyn Banks.

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#7
Pos: CB
Ht: 5115
Wt: 200
40: 4.52
DOB: 9/30/1999
Hometown: Orlando, FL
High School: Jones
Eligibility: 2023

Sevyn Banks
LSU Tigers

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One-Liners

While he must play with more conviction against the run, Banks has the instincts, athleticism and technique to thrive in man or zone coverage at the next level.

Evaluation:

After sitting behind eventual first-round picks Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette in 2019, Sevyn Banks stood out as a first-year starter against top-tier NFL prospects in 2020. The 6010, 200-pound athlete is a fluid mover with impressive long speed, linear burst and lateral quickness. What’s more, Banks practices sudden transitions with minimal wasted motion. The Florida native displayed strong play recognition in his first year as the starter. A standout in man coverage, Banks boasts the movement skills to mirror in press and off. He typically practices sound eye, foot and hip discipline. Likewise, he rarely bites on route salesmanship. An intelligent cornerback, Banks understands angles and leverage to cut receivers off. Further, he defensive back uses physicality to slow his opponents down. Similarly, he keeps his hands in the opposition’s hip pocket to feel out routes. In zone coverage, Banks exhibits instincts, route recognition and spatial awareness. At the catch point, the talented corner plays through the wide receiver with length and physicality. Against the run, Banks has an intuitive feel for filling rushing lanes. A disinterested tackler whose effort increases in big games, he plays the outside leg and rarely whiffs thanks to his patient approach. An advanced cover corner, He must fine-tune his game before being a reliable starter in the league. In man coverage, the typically patient athlete occasionally bites on jab steps, head fakes and body language during his opponents’ releases at the line of scrimmage. What’s more, Banks sometimes allows his eyes to drift into the backfield. This results in late hip turns and leaves him in a difficult recovery position. Further, the Buckeyes’ star displays sloppy tendencies in press and otherwise physical coverage. He has an all-or-nothing, high-risk low-reward style that sees him lunge into engagement. Moreover, Banks’s zone integrity and discipline are works in progress. He regularly gives up outside leverage underneath. He is also involved in far too many miscommunications. At the catch point, Banks struggles to properly turn and find the ball when covering deep patterns. Against the run, the senior plays with sluggish reaction times. He fails to beat blocks due to limited effort and poor technique through engagement. Small wide receivers even take him out of contention to make the play. Finally, Banks is a disinterested and hesitant tackler. He plays with poor technique, often opting to throw a shoulder rather than wrap up. When he tackles properly, he displays underwhelming grip strength and rarely explodes into contact. A scheme-versatile cover corner, Sevyn Banks has experience in zone and several iterations of man coverage. He defensive back played against some of the nation’s best passing attacks in 2020 and thrived. While he must play with more conviction against the run, Banks has the instincts, athleticism and technique to thrive at the next level. He should start immediately and can become a high-level player with further refinement.

Background:

Born September 30th in Orlando, Florida to parents Andrea Tate and Raymond Banks, Sevyn Banks was a promising football player throughout high school. After playing his freshman and sophomore seasons at Orlando First Academy, the Florida native transferred to Jones High School. A top-tier recruit, Banks was invited to the Under Armour All-American Game and participated in The Opening in Beaverton, Oregon. In recognition of his stellar high school career, 247Sports Composite Rankings assigned the highly-touted recruit a four-star rating. The same service named him the 221st-best player in his class, the 23rd-ranked cornerback in his year and the 41st-overall player in the state of Florida. ESPN Recruiting named Banks the 55th-best recruit in the class and the 7th-ranked cornerback in 2018. The sought-after high schooler chose to play at Ohio State and saw the field early. Banks played in the last five games of his freshman season, recording one tackle. In 2019, he played in all fourteen games despite being stuck behind talented players like Jeffrey Okudah (2020 3rd-overall selection), Damon Arnette (2020 19th-overall selection) and Shaun Wade (2021 5th-round pick). In his sophomore season, Banks posted 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception and four pass breakups. As a first-year starter in 2020, the Jones High School product played in all eight games. He recorded 23 tackles, .5 tackles for loss, one interception, eight pass breakups and one fumble recovery (which he returned for a touchdown). Banks has reportedly struggled with a nagging knee injury in the past. What’s more, he missed a sizeable portion of Ohio State’s 2021 spring camp with an undisclosed injury. While the time off may end up inconsequential, it is important to monitor. He also missed his junior season of high school with an injury. Banks’ older brother, Marcell Harris, played safety at the University of Florida. Transferred to LSU from Ohio State in 2022.

Grade:

2nd Round