Following the departure of Nikita Whitlock, the defensive tackle position is one of the biggest gaps that Wake Forest needs to fill this year. We have already profiled Tylor Harris, who will start at one of the spots, and No. 15 on our player countdown is the other DT in RS Sophomore Josh Banks.
Banks appeared in 10 games last season as a RS-FR, during which he accumulated 13 tackles. In addition to those tackles, he also racked up 2 TFL, a sack, 3 pass breakups, a forced fumble and a recovery. He is one of the players that has stuck out so far in camp.
In the new 4-2-5 lineup, Banks and Harris will look to fill up a lot of space in the interior and help provide stability to a rush defense that finished 35th last year in rush yards per game.
Banks attended high school in Apex, NC, where he was a three-year starter at Middle Creek High School. He was the Tri-Nine Defensive Player of the Year in 2011.
He chose Wake Forest over offers from Western Michigan, Maryland and Minnesota.
Banks will have a new jersey this year, switching from the 58 he wore last year to the number 40 this season. He has excelled during practices so far, especially during the DLine vs. OLine drills, beating his man almost every time.
I think Banks is one of the bright spots on the defensive front seven, and should contribute greatly to the defense overall.