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Jason Banks tackled obstacles to become himself

One word to describe loquacious senior Defensive Tackle Jason Banks is athletic. Since he was a child, playing sports is as simple as tying his shoes; however, there are other obstacles in his life that he has had to tackle and those obstacles he has had to face, past and present has made him into the man he is today.Jason was born on May 8, 1985 to the parentage of Kevin and Janice Banks in Baton Rouge , Louisiana. Growing up for Banks was not easy; he grew up on the Southside of Baton Rouge on the corner of Washington and Carolina Street, a neighborhood notoriously know for : homicides, drug trafficking and prostitution. When Jason was 16, he lost a friend Eugene McClendon to the streets. “I grew up in the hood around a lot of violence but my parents and my grandparents kept me out of trouble, telling me I could be anything I wanted.” Banks added.

At McKinley High School , Jason lettered in: track, (100 meters), basketball (15 points per game), and football. (120 tackles and 20.5 sacks in his career.) Banks decided that he wanted to play football at the next level, so the All State player (and MVP of the 2002 Red Stick Bowl with 4 tackles and three sacks) had programs such as: LSU, ULM , Louisiana Tech and Auburn but Banks chose to attend Gambling.

This year Jason is having a breakout season, he is leading a defense that only gives up 15.2 points per game but Jason will not take all the credit. “I’m having a good season but I give the credit to my teammates. We are a team and we feed off of each other.” Banks adds. Prior to this season, he missed several games with knee lingering knee injuries but this year he has played in every game this season, he only has 18 tackles this season but just like Defensive tackles, he clogs up wholes and allows starting linebackers: John Carter, Keefe Hall and Zaire Wilbor n( They have 158 total tackles) to make plays.

After this season Jason Banks will prepare for the NFL combine “The combine is real big and you have to be prepared.” Adds Banks. He would like to play for either the Dallas Cowboys because of his ties with former defensive standout (and current Cowboy) Jason Hatcher, or her would like to play for the New Orleans Saints, which so happens to be 90 miles from home. Banks also stated that upon receiving his degree in Criminal Justice in May, he would like to attend law school.

“I arrived at Gambling State in the fall of 2003 and I have done a lot of fun things at GSU, I have made the best of it.