2022 Recruit Kelvin Banks Improving Leadership Skills Ahead of Junior Year, Talks LSU Football
As a rising junior at Shadow Creek High School, Kelvin Banks isn't just spending time this offseason working on his game, but also learning how to become a better leader. The 2022 offensive lineman is one of the top ranked prospects in the nation and with this offseason in particular, leaders are needed to step into the forefront.
Because his recruitment has taken off so much in the last year or so, Banks, normally a quiet guy who likes to let his play do the talking, felt it was his duty to step up as a leader because of the interest that's been shown to him.
"I was having to be that guy because I was getting all of these offers and having kids look up to me," Banks said. "I knew I had to be more vocal so I just try to motivate them to do the little things like come into workouts on time in the morning, making sure they're doing their reps like. It's been a fun process for me."
Banks has an offer list that runs nearly 20 teams long including LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, Auburn, Tennesse, USC and Baylor. The offers started rolling in for the Humble, Texas native the spring of his freshman year and has been steadily receiving offers since that time.
"It's been really exciting just seeing how you can go from zero offers and not many people knowing your name to being heavily recruited by all these great programs," Banks said.
LSU became involved with Banks' recruitment back in May when the offer was made official. Banks was really excited when the Tigers came calling because of the history and recent success behind the program.
"That's the kind of program that I want to be at in the future," Banks said. "A big program with a lot of success that gets guys to the NFL and I'm just looking for the one that fits me best."
Currently ranked as the No. 68 player in the 247Sports composite rankings, the 6-foot-5 offensive tackle has started to build a nice relationship with the LSU coaching staff. Though he's spoken with coach Ed Orgeron a handful of times, Banks primary source of contact has been offensive line coach James Cregg.
Cregg has told Banks that the program is recruiting him as a tackle as the Tigers coach loves the way the Summer Creek High School product moves his feet and the aggressiveness he plays with on the line of scrimmage.
"When we talk, he tells me he likes the way I play with aggression and just likes the way I move my feet, my technique," Banks said. "I know I'm not where I need to be, I need to work on a lot of stuff but he likes the way I play the game of football.
"I like the way he brings energy on the phone and on the field," Banks said of Orgeron. "I watched a lot of their games and he brings a lot of energy to the game and you can see how he actually cares about what his players are doing. It's very exciting every time I get to talk to him."
Banks enters an important junior season as there's still plenty he wants to work on but also feels there's a lot he does well. While he's a physically imposing threat on the line, the biggest strength in Banks' game is his pass blocking.
"I'm not trying to be cocky but I genuinely feel that I can beat anybody," Banks said. "I know there are always going to be great players but I feel like anybody I go against I have a chance to beat them."
That confidence stems from hard work and preparation that he's put in this offseason to perfect his craft. Balance and footwork are the two components within his pass block he feels he's mastered while hand placement and power of the punch are a few of the areas he's working on.
"I've really been focusing on making sure I have a good base in both run and pass blocking because base is everything for an o-lineman," Banks said.
Of the schools that have reached out to Banks so far, LSU ranks towards the top, though he's still in the process of weighing all of his options. Watching the Tigers from a distance in 2019, particularly the offensive line, left a strong impression on Banks.
Overall, Banks sees LSU as a strong option for him moving forward and can't wait to see what the Tigers do in 2020.
"I saw that a couple of their guys got drafted so that was pretty cool," Banks said. "It's a great school, you never really hear anything bad from LSU so I like that. They got a good program, a great coaching staff and people that actually care for them. Even when it's gametime, you can tell the fans really bring the energy as well so I bets it's a great experience."
