ASU strikes again with a four-star California recruit, lands Jordan Banks
ASU’s recruiting efforts in Southern California have been quite fruitful ever since head coach Herm Edwards and more notably linebackers coach Antonio Pierce arrived in Tempe a couple of years ago. That trend continued today with the commitment of Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne High School linebacker and nationally Top-120 prospect Jordan Banks who committed to the Sun Devils this afternoon.
We caught up with the Gauchos’ offensive coordinator Brandon Manumaleuna a ten-year NFL tight end veteran, and a former teammate of Pierce at the University of Arizona, to get insight on the recruiting process between the Sun Devils and Banks, and the skillset of ASU’s newest addition to its 2020 recruiting class.
“Arizona State got a steal,” Manumaleuna stated. “Jordan is a very good player. With his mindset and his work ethic, he’s a program changer because he will force other players to step up. I’m not trying to put to names out there, but pass rush wise he can be in the realm of a Terrell Suggs. And with the other guys he’ll have around him…Arizona State is doing something special. It hurts my heart just to say that (laughs).
On a side note when I called Manumaleuna he answered the phone “Bear Down.”
“I always tell Pierce I can’t believe the (ASU) colors he’s wearing. I have three, four kids going to Arizona State and I’m sending them to my old teammate…that’s pretty funny.”
Throughout six games this year for the 5-1 Gauchos, Banks has registered 53 total tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and has recovered a fumble for a touchdown.
“His strength is rushing the passer and he can also drop in coverage,” Manumaleuna commented. “He has good ball skills and already has a couple of interceptions and a fumble for a touchdown. He has a good football IQ and can recognize offenses.
“He’s a player that creates havoc.”
Manumaleuna added that as with every future college freshman better conditioning and increased strength are aspects that Banks will have to improve on in the future, but he also felt that the linebacker has done a formidable job in those areas to date.
“He’ll also need to learn to play better in space,” Manumaleuna remarked. “But he has a good start (with his skills) going into college. He has a good frame at 250 lbs. and I think once he gets to college and turns that weight into muscle it will look even better.”
Banks is the highest-rated commit to date in Arizona State’s 2020 recruiting class, and aside from literally having the entire Pac-12 extend offers, schools such as Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Auburn were pursuing him in earnest. Banks was offered by ASU in the spring of last year, and even though in the last several months his recruiting attention was pointed elsewhere, Pierce was relentless in his communication with the four-star prospect, a persistence that naturally paid off today with Banks’ announcement.
“Pierce being from this area helps,” Manumaleuna said of ASU’s linebackers’ coach recruiting prowess. “He can evaluate talent well. Herm Edwards trusts him and that is a big part. He relates very well to the kids growing up here and being able to maneuver through certain situations just like these kids do. He has the same background as those kids, and they aspire to have the same success that he has had.
“He tells those kids ‘grab onto my coattails and I’ll take you wherever you want to go’ and the kids believe that. Kids gravitated to him when he was the coach at Long Beach Poly and now the same thing is happening when he’s coaching in college.”
Manumaleuna said that Pierce’s approach and personality, as well as Banks’ other suitors shifting their priorities, was an opportune moment for Arizona State to pounce on and one that Pierce fully utilized.
“Banks was looking at the SEC, because just like a lot of kids he was enamored with that conference,” Manumaleuna explained, “but his parents wanted him to stay out west. So you have a player of this caliber fall into your lap – that’s a blessing. Now you have a Jordan Banks playing with a Merlin Robertson and a Darien Butler, and your defense starts turning into a powerhouse.
“Once Pierce and Jordan really started talking, Banks saw the vision that Pierce had for him and for the defense, and he liked it. It’s as simple as that. Once you have a chance to have a person talk to you and really spark your mind, you say ‘you know what? you’re right.’ That’s what happened and that’s obviously credit to Antonio.”
Banks is a Top-15 California prospect and is the Sun Devils' seventh known 2020 pledge from that state and the 17th 2020 commit overall in ASU’s class.
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