Johnthan Banks 2013 NFL Draft scouting notes

First Word: Johnthan Banks made the right choice returning to school for another season. He has tons of natural ability and instincts for the position but needs to become stronger to improve in press coverage. Few receivers can beet Banks over the top, but physical receivers like Alshon Jeffery and the Arkansas wideouts had some success against him. While he isn't a physical corner, Banks has shown a willingness to make plays at the line of scrimmage and is a pretty reliable tackler. Banks' issues can all be corrected on the field or fixed in the weight room. The natural instincts for the position are all there.

• Banks has plenty of speed. He is very tough to beat over the top because of his high-end speed and leaping ability.
• Ball skills are a strong point in Banks' game. He is skilled at attacking the ball at the apex of his jump and has sure hands.
• A solid contributor on run defense, Banks is agressive and has a nose for the football. He is a solid tackler for his size as well. I love his aggressiveness in all aspects of his game, including run defense.
• Banks has an extremely smooth back pedal and fluid hips in coverage.
• Mississippi State used Banks to blitz quite a bit last year, and he has the range to be effective in that area.

• Banks lacks the strength to handle physical receivers. Alshon Jeffery and the Arkansas wideouts gave him some trouble.
• Banks would benefit from reigning in his aggression at times. He occasionally plays himself out of position.
• He struggled to defend comeback routes at times last season. I'm not sure if this is a product of his lack of physicality or ability to close on the ball, but Arkansas clearly attacked Banks in this area during their meeting last season.