'12 WA OL Zach Banner (USC Verbal)

[NDinL.A.]

good, cuz hes bad.

Starting to think 'dropped at birth' is true LOL. Everyone and their momma disagrees with you, but you're still on this trip that the kid can't play (even though by all accounts he was excellent at the all-star practices and his size and athleticism with that size is off the charts). If this kid gets coached up, he could be a monster for them. My ONLY hope is that he isn't a killer, that he's a gentle giant (no inside info...just hoping that's the case).

 

[rtrn2glory]

i hate 6'9" guys that move like a gazelle and have huge upside.

 

[IrishLax]

Respectfully disagree with NDinLA. Yeah, he has upside. Much like how Decker had awesome upside. But he could totally flop or be mediocre. But he's got a ton of flaws in his game right and I'm very skeptical.

He doesn't play with a mean streak. Doesn't show good technique. And he might get abused by quick/undersized pass rushers.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Respectfully disagree with NDinLA. Yeah, he has upside. Much like how Decker had awesome upside. But he could totally flop or be mediocre. But he's got a ton of flaws in his game right and I'm very skeptical.

He doesn't play with a mean streak. Doesn't show good technique. And he might get abused by quick/undersized pass rushers.

Glad to hear about his lack of mean streak (if true...that's huge).

I will say that he's WAY ahead of Decker at this point. And he's got more upside IMO. The thing with Banner is technique. That can be taught. You can't teach his size, athletic ability, and raw strength (which Decker lacks big-time right now).

If this kid works his butt off, gets coached well (USC puts a ton of O-linemen in the NFL), and plays with a mean streak, he has more upside than most guys in this class. He simply swallows up DE's when he gets in front of them. Now, Dwight Freeney type players (and Lynch) will give him fits until he gets his technique right. So in a sense, for short-term success, I hope he wins the left-tackle job so Lynch can abuse him. But long-term...this could be bad news for ND because the kid is a monster.

 

[BGIF]

good, cuz hes bad.

Really, I guess that's why the recruiting services have him in the top dozen at his position.

And why he has offers across the nation from:

USC
Alabama
Arizona
ASU
Auburn
Boise St
California
FSU
GT
LSU
Miami
Michigan
Missouri
Nebraska
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Oregon
Oregon St
PSU
Stanford
UCLA
UW

Look at that list of offers from a variety of offenses, Pro-sets, Spread, and an OPTION attack. When did Stoops, Saban, AND Paul Johnson suddenly take an interest in slow, meek OLs? Perhaps they saw his nimble feet (for a big man) as one of our poster's here who actually saw him play in person noted.

Banner has a wing span like a 747 and you're going to gripe about his speed because he doesn't move like a F-15? In a pass attack all he has to do is hone a quick drop back step. With those arms DE's are going to have a lot longer path to the QB than they will through a small OT and they aren't going to bowl hiim over.

It's common for OLs not to show a mean streak because they didn't have to in HS. Most are so much bigger that they dominant through sheer size. Speaking of mean streaks, list the ND OLs who have demonstrated that on the field since Jeff Faine. (John Sullivan angrily snapping the ball over the QBs head doesn't count.)

Clark, you wouldn't have refused a scholarship to Luke Petitgout out of high school. He was a TE when Holtz recruited him. 5 years later he was the 19th players chosen in the NFL draft. Banner may never do that well but he ain't "bad".

With the limited scholarships USC has available they aren't wasting one.