Aaron Banks (OG #69)
6’5 330 lbs
21 y/o Senior University of Notre Dame
(Credits:onefootdown.com)
Games watched: vs. Clemson ‘20, vs. Alabama ‘20, vs. Georgia ‘19
Summary:
Aaron Banks played as a two-way player for four years at El Cerrito High School in Northern California, where he spent three years playing OT and one year playing OG. Banks was a four-star member of the PrepStar Top 300 Dream Team, ranked as the 127th player in the class of 2017 and the 19th OT.
In 2017 he enrolled at Notre Dame and began taking classes in January.
Banks spent his freshman season on the scout team. In the following season, Banks got playing time in the first seven games. He started his first game at LG vs. Navy and remained in that role for the remaining six games.
Banks’ junior season in 2019 saw him start all 13 games, which resulted in him only giving up two sacks on 844 snaps played.
At the end of his final collegiate season, Banks received 1st team All ACC and 1st team Associated Press All American honors. His efforts on the field also made him a Joe Moore finalist for best offensive line unit and a spot on the Outland Trophy watch list for “best interior lineman.”
Banks received an invitation to the 2021 Senior bowl, where he was a National team player.
Strengths:
- Has ideal NFL size to play left guard and right guard
- Plays with exceptional raw natural power
- Comes off the snap with low pads
- Has very violent hands that consistently delivers disruptive blows
- Quickly gets vertical to block LBs on 2nd level
- Plays with a wide base which allows sunken hips to maintain leverage.
- Good athleticism for his size but not elite.
- Has a very nasty mauler mentality which left several defenders down
- Always look for extra defenders to block on every play.
Weaknesses:
- Struggles to block moving targets in open space.
- Lateral footwork is below average
- Plays with heavy feet too often
- Can be knocked off balance if defenders beat him to the punch.
- Slow recovery time if his blocking angles are not on point
- Needs to be more consistent with good knee bend
Conclusion:
Aaron Bank’s natural abilities are evident when he plays either in a power-run or gap blocking scheme. If he could drop his weight down to around the 315 – 320 pound range, it would help elevate his athleticism from average to above average. His physical style and power will allow him to contend for a starting job if he goes to the right team. The correct position coach can elevate him to becoming one of the top guards in the NFL in a few years.
Overall Grade: 5.5 (Day 1 starter in power run scheme or starter in 1-2 years with zone blocking scheme )
