TJ Banks, 4-star 2024 safety, commits to Ole Miss football over Mississippi State
Hillcrest class of 2024 defensive back TJ Banks committed to Ole Miss football over Mississippi State, Tennessee, Florida State and Oklahoma on Sunday afternoon.
Banks, 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, is ranked the No. 158 recruit in the nation and No. 13 safety by the 247Sports Composite. He has played a big role on his high school football teams since starting at cornerback for Northridge as a freshman.
Banks transferred to Hillcrest from crosstown rival Northridge this year after posting 42 tackles, three for loss, six pass breakups and nine touchdowns as a junior.
The Tuscaloosa native is Ole Miss' 11th commit and the third highest-rated. Banks, ranked No. 10 overall in Alabama, joins three-star cornerback commit Patrick Broomfield in the secondary.
"He’s got every gift that is needed as a DB," Hillcrest coach Jamie Mitchell told the Tuscaloosa News in April. "He’s long, can run, he’s big. It’s just getting him up to speed mentally on different things we do. He’s a real student of the game. He’s smart, so that’s going to help him a lot.
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Banks has lined up everywhere in the secondary, mainly at cornerback and with consistent time at safety in 2022. He's used his size to make plays on contested catch attempts. Banks has shown his athleticism not only on defense but also at running back, wide receiver and returner on special teams.
He is a back-to-back Tuscaloosa News Class 7A-4A All-Area first team selection.
"You don’t realize how big he is until you get up next to him," Mitchell added. "He is long. I think that’s a real asset. He’s right at 200 pounds. He’s not a small DB. But then his burst ability and his recovery time is just exceptional. That is more along (what you see) for a smaller DB in just his make-up ability. He’s really gifted in a lot of different ways."
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Travaris Banks commits to Ole Miss football over Mississippi State
