Tag: Greg Banks

2010 Countdown: #22 Greg Banks

Name: Greg Banks
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 285 lbs.
High school: Montbello High School in Denver, CO
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #92
Last year: I ranked Banks #32 and said he’d see plenty of time in the defensive line rotation. He made 5 tackles from the 3-tech DT position.

This might be my most controversial choice for starter, and he also has the potential to be my “most overrated” player by the end of the season. Banks was a backup defensive lineman in 2009, seeing time at the 3-tech defensive tackle position that Ryan Van Bergen occupied most of the time. He only made 5 tackles in a solid but unspectacular campaign and couldn’t distance himself from Renaldo Sagesse, another backup DT. But Banks did earn praise from defensive line coach Bruce Tall in the spring; the coach called Banks’ pass rushing moves “textbook,” which might not be the best compliment, but it might be good enough.

There’s going to be a weak link along the defensive line, especially if Michigan fans are looking for a Brandon Graham-like superstar. Ryan Van Bergen will be solid at 5-tech defensive end. Mike Martin will be very good, whether he’s playing nose tackle or 3-tech DT. If William Campbell starts at nose tackle, his conditioning and technique will likely be a weakness. If Banks starts at DT, his strength and overall athleticism will make him the least heralded. He’s not a superstar in the making, but if he can hold his ground as well as Van Bergen did at DT in 2009 (40 tackles, 5 sacks), Michigan fans should be happy. Campbell will get more playing time this year than last, and that might cut into the minutes Greg Banks sees. We’ll see a slight drop-off at the DT position this year, but hopefully it will be muted by improved playing from the linebackers.

Prediction for 2010: Starting defensive tackle; 30 tackles, 2 sacks

2010 Countdown: #71 Richard Ash

Name: Richard Ash
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 263 lbs.
School: Pahokee High School in Pahokee, FL
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Prediction for 2010: Redshirt

Ash is a big kid from south Florida pipeline Pahokee, the same school that provided Michigan with Martavious Odoms, Brandin Hawthorne, and Vincent Smith. That 263 pounds thing up there might be a lie. A State of Florida insider said around signing day that Ash was up around 300 lbs. at the time. If Ash maintains that weight, he’ll likely be a nose tackle. If he can work himself closer to that 263, then he could have more flexibility to play 3-tech defensive tackle as well.

Ash’s conditioning will be sorted out by Mike Barwis and Co., and I imagine that Ash’s playing weight will be below 300. Observers from Florida also indicated that Ash played better when he was around 240 lbs., so I get the feeling that he’s not someone who wears weight well. Regardless, Ash is probably headed for a redshirt this year to get his conditioning sorted out. I placed him somewhat higher on this list than I wanted to, but that’s largely because depth on the interior defensive line is somewhat thin. The Wolverines have a solid four interior linemen (Mike Martin, Greg Banks, Renaldo Sagesse, William Campbell), but any injuries might disrupt that depth and force a freshman to play. Furthermore, both Banks and Sagesse won’t be returning in 2011, so there may be a need to get a young guy some garbage time reps this season.

2010 Countdown: #75 Jibreel Black

Name: Jibreel Black
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 253 lbs.
High school: Wyoming High School in Cincinnati, OH
Position: Defensive end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Prediction for 2010: Redshirt

With as much certainty as an outside observer can have, I believe the players listed below Black will redshirt. That includes Christian Pace, Davion Rogers, DJ Williamson, Conelius Jones, Jordan Paskorz, Jake Ryan, Ray Vinopal, Drew Dileo, and Austin White. Their positions and readiness make that a near certainty, in my opinion.

But now we get into the murkier depths of the roster, the guys who have an outside chance to play this season due to a starter or rotation player getting injured, or perhaps due to the coaches wanting to get a guy some reps in preparation for 2011. That’s where Jibreel Black fits. Ideally, he’d probably redshirt in 2010, giving him a chance to add some weight and get stronger. He’s shorter than a prototypical defensive end at only 6’2″, so he’s going to need to make up for that deficiency in the strength department. But I’ve already compared him to Brandon Graham, so I think the kid’s got some talent.

The starter at defensive end will likely be Ryan Van Bergen, who has proven to be pretty durable so far in his career. He’s also pretty good. His rotational backup might be Anthony Lalota, but if Van Bergen does suffer an injury, I’d expect Greg Banks to flip to 5-tech DE with Renaldo Sagesse moving in at Banks’s old spot. That’s a big, fancy way of saying that I hope Van Bergen doesn’t get injured.

Meanwhile, Black is probably the most college-ready DE in the class, and he’s got a chance to contribute. With Banks and Sagesse departing after this season, the coaches might want to season a younger guy with some reps against UMass or Bowling Green. Ultimately, I don’t think Michigan will need Black on the field this season, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him playing in non-critical moments.

2010 Countdown: #76 Terry Talbott

Terry Talbott, Agent #9, Terrence Talbott, and Braxton Miller

Name: Terry Talbott
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 255 lbs.
High school: Wayne High School in Huber Heights, OH
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Prediction for 2010: Redshirt

Terry Talbott, the older and larger brother of Terrence, is a quick-footed defensive tackle prospect from the Worst State Ever. He’s got the physical skills to be a dominant high school defensive lineman, but sometimes it’s hard to project guys forward when they need to gain 30 or 40 pounds before they can sniff the playing field. As it stands, Terry has the quickest first step of any defensive tackle Michigan has brought in over the last several years. But as you can see in the picture above, he’s got some filling out to do.

From my perspective, Terry needs at least a year to bulk up. He seems to be headed for the 3-tech DT spot, which means he can probably play at a weight between 280-290 lbs. But it needs to be good weight, not just additional blubber. Michigan has a fair amount of depth at those interior positions with Mike Martin and Greg Banks the likely starters. Renaldo Sagesse, William Campbell, and Adam Patterson will back them up. So as long as nobody gets seriously injured, the freshmen can probably afford to sit and watch for 2011.

Terry Talbott, Wolverine

Late last night GoBlueWolverine.com reported that brothers Terry and Terrence Talbott, from Huber Heights, OH, committed to play for Michigan.

Terry is a defensive lineman whose position is a little blurry. Rivals lists him at 6’4″ and 265 lbs. Scouting Ohio lists him at 6’4″ and 245 lbs. It’s possible that Scouting Ohio is a bit outdated, but on the plus side, at least they agree on his height. The websites list him as a defensive tackle/nose tackle, but I’m not sure that’s the best fit for him. He seems more like a defensive end for Greg Robinson’s 4-3 under defense. Rivals is notorious for having overstated sizes (Anthony Lalota was 6’6″ and 260 lbs. until he got on campus and the spring roster listed him as 6’4″ and 235), so I’m more inclined to trust Scouting Ohio.

Even more so than his size, Terry plays like a defensive end. He uses his quickness off the ball to beat blockers to his gap. He’s long and lean and uses his hands well to fight off blockers. I wouldn’t define him as a speed rusher, but he looks like a 3-4 defensive end to me.

A 3-star prospect to Rivals, Terry chose Michigan over offers from Illinois, MSU, UCLA, and Wisconsin, among others. I expect that Michigan will still pursue at least one true defensive tackle prospect (Sharrif Floyd and Louis Nix, to name a couple). Even though Michigan’s defensive tackles are young, there are only three scholarship players on the roster (Mike Martin, Will Campbell, and Renaldo Sagesse). Perhaps more dire is the defensive end position – Brandon Graham graduates this year, and both Adam Patterson and Greg Banks are redshirt juniors. Anthony Lalota is the only DE behind them.

Scouting Ohio video is here.