Brian Banks signs with Falcons after 5-year wrongful conviction

Banks was a highly touted recruit in high school and committed to USC before a false rape conviction sent him to prison for five years. He was released and exonerated when his victim later recanted the accusation.

Banks hasn’t played organized football in over 10 years, but coach Pires thinks the 28-year-old is on par with the rookies coming out of college. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Banks spent five years in prison before he was exonerated. The case turned on a meeting between Gibson and Banks in 2011, during which Banks secretly recorded Gibson admitting that she fabricated the allegations. Banks’ conviction was overturned on May 24, 2012.

When Banks was accused, he had already verbally committed to USC to play football. He faced up to 41 years in prison for his alleged crimes, so he instead accepted a plea deal that included five years in prison, five years probation and registering as a sex offender.

Banks was once a highly regarded football prospect and even committed to play for USC. However, Banks was accused of rape shortly thereafter. Banks spent five years in prison and another five on parole before being exonerated of his charges when the woman who had claimed to be the victim recanted her story.

Here’s Banks telling his story on The Tonight Show:

Banks may not make an NFL roster this season, but there has certainly been plenty of interest in the exonerated linebacker and some coaches have noted he’s looked pretty good in his workouts.

For more on Banks’ workout in San Francisco, visit SB Nation’s Niners Nation. For updates on Banks, keep checking this StoryStream.

Banks missed his first opportunity at a football career when he was wrongfully convicted of rape between his high school playing days and an offer to play at USC. Exonerated, he has been working out for NFL teams this year. His 40 time with the Chiefs, who put him through something of a Combine-like workout, ranks better than eight of the 29 linebacker prospects who ran the drill at the February Scouting Combine.

For more on Banks’ workout in San Francisco, visit SB Nation’s Niners Nation. For updates on Banks, keep checking this StoryStream.

SB Nation’s Niners Nation writes that Banks is a longshot to make the active roster.

For more on Banks’ workout in San Francisco, visit SB Nation’s Niners Nation.

There is no telling what Banks’ future holds at this point. It would be a lot to ask, even of someone as highly-regarded as Banks once was, to return to football after five-plus years and play at a professional level. Banks is plenty motivated, however, and many people will be following along every step of the way.

For more on Banks and the Chiefs, head over to Arrowhead Pride and stay tuned to SB Nation Kansas City.

Here’s what Carroll said last week about Banks and the invitation to work out for the team:

For further updates on Brian Banks’s journey, please stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all news and information regarding pro football, please visit SB Nation’s dedicated NFL hub.

Win Forever, Seattle head coach Pete Carroll’s self-help and leadership training program, produced a short video showcasing Banks’ Thursday workout, which you can see below.

Seattle will give Banks an official tryout for the team at next week’s minicamp. The team had its OTAs scheduled for this week cancelled after violating the league’s no contact rules for OTAs, but they were allowed to keep their appointment with Banks.

Former high school top prospect Brian Banks was recently freed after spending five years in prison for being falsely accused of rape. He is getting to live out at least some part of his dream, as several pro teams have invited him to workouts. He has also been drawing interest from colleges.

Sports Radio KJR in Seattle confirms that Banks has officially been offered a tryout at next week’s minicamp. Hopefully the one-time top prospect will finally see his dream come true after a very long wait.

Former high school star Brian Banks, recently released from prison after his 2002 rape conviction was overturned, is doing everything he can to get his football career back to where it should be. He was set to play for USC before being jailed, but has now lined up workouts with a number of NFL teams.

This doesn’t mean college teams aren’t interested in the former top recruit, who’s remained in peak physical condition despite taking almost a decade off: