Third visit leads to commitment for Cincinnati DB Banks
Pitt landed another commitment for the recruiting class of 2024 this weekend when Cincinnati (Oh.) Taft safety Tayshawn Banks picked the Panthers.
Banks committed to Pitt on Sunday after he was in the South Side on Saturday watching the players practice and spending time with the coaches. That visit was Banks’ third time being around the team dating back to last summer, and it sold him on being a Panther.
“When I walked in, I told my dad that it felt like home,” Banks told Panther-Lair.com after he committed. "I visited Pitt three times and the third time was the charm.”
Banks’ first visit to Pitt was last June when he worked out for the coaches at a prospect camp, which gave him an opportunity to work directly with safeties coach Cory Sanders.
“It was great and fun to work with him,” Banks said after the camp. “When he told me to do something, he broke it down to where we could understand it. Most coaches tell you something and then just expect you to go do it, but he broke it down step-by-step. We could really learn that way. It was good.
“I love him. We’re building a great relationship.”
Banks also said that he has developed a strong relationship with defensive coordinator Randy Bates, who is his primary recruiter.
On top of the relationships, Banks picked Pitt after being impressed with watching the players work in practice on Saturday, when the coaches put them through a live, full-contact scrimmage.
“What made me choose Pitt was that the players were really pumped. They had nice energy,” he said. “They were very aggressive, they had enthusiasm, they were flying around, they were competing and it was exciting to see.”
At 6’0” 170, Banks was a playmaker for Taft last season. He recorded nine interceptions in the Senators’ 14 games and returned three of them for touchdowns. He also had a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a 70-yard punt return that he took to the end zone. And he recorded four tackles for loss while lining up at cornerback, safety and nickel.
Banks picked Pitt over offers from Boston College, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Michigan, Penn State, Purdue, West Virginia, UConn, Eastern Kentucky, Kent State and UMass.
Banks is the eighth recruit in the class of 2024 to commit to Pitt and the first defensive back to join the Panthers. He’s also Pitt’s fourth commitment this month, following offensive lineman Jiavani Cooley, tight end Eric Ingwerson and defensive tackle Francis Brewu.
The Panthers also have commitments from defensive end Ty Yuhas, running back Juelz Goff, receiver Ric’Darious Farmer and defensive tackle Jahsear Whittington.