With the No. 43 pick of the 2013 NFL draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have selected cornerback Johnthan Banks out of Mississippi State. SB Nation's Dan Kadar ranked Banks as the 5th best corner in the 2013 class, and the 45th best prospect overall.
NFL Draft 2013 results: Johnthan Banks selected by Buccaneers with No. 43 overall pick
Johnthan Banks was selected by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He’ll help a secondary that was downright awful last year.
Even with the additions of safety Dashon Goldson and Darrelle Revis, the Bucs still needed help in the secondary. Banks will have a chance to start immediately opposite Revis. Banks' measurables may not jump off the page like those of former teammate Darius Slay selected earlier in the round, but he has solid length with strong instincts.
Big Blue View wrote a prospect profile on Banks, and had this to say about his weaknesses:
Banks will have to work on his backpedal and his press-coverage technique. Although he does have good size and length he's not particularly strong. Banks is a willing tackler, but he's not a great open-field tackler. Banks can get caught peeking into the backfield. He's better right now playing off- and zone coverage than he is playing in man, but that is because he wasn't asked to do it much. The biggest question for Banks will be his straight line speed.
Player comparison: Aqib Talib
Combine Results
Height: 6’2
Weight: 185 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.61 seconds
Vertical leap: 34-inches
Broad jump: 125-inches
Banks was one of the slowest defensive backs at the combine with his 4.61 40-yard dash, and he improved only slightly at the Mississippi State pro day by running a 4.58 and 4.59. Banks does not have great straight-line speed, but can use his length to his advantage against bigger receivers. He had solid hands in college, collecting 16 interceptions over his four-year career.
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