It looks like Texas A&M has finally broken its North Shore curse, and they've done it in a big way.
Galena Park North Shore 2021 WR Shadrach Banks committed to the Aggies Thursday, giving A&M one of the nation's top receiving threats while breaking a two-decade-long dry spell in the process.
Banks is currently ranked as the fourth-best receiver in the nation for 2021 by Rivals.com and put up massive numbers as a sophomore: 60 catches for 1300 yards -- an average of 21.7 yards per catch -- and 17 TD. Predictably, nearly every program in the country came after him, including SEC foes Alabama, Georgia and LSU. While all three programs received visits from the 6-foot, 190-pound receiver in recent weeks, it seems that A&M's lead for him was never seriously threatened.
The Aggies now have two commits for the 2021 class, and they're off to a fantastic start on the offensive side of the football. Banks joins QB Eli Stowers, the third-ranked dual threat quarterback in the nation according to Rivals.com, as the initial members of #GigEmGang21.
Analysis of A&M's newest commit
Banks reminds me a lot of Christian Kirk at first glance, and that opinion didn't change after watching his highlights. Banks is a little taller than Kirk, but they both have the same broad-shouldered build and, more importantly, both are home run threats every time they touch the football.
Banks has the ability to make a short pass into a huge gain. When he catches short slants or bubble screens, he has the patience to let his blockers get in front of him or to find a gap in the defense. Then he turns on the jets and blows past people. His field vision is outstanding, a trait Kirk also had.
Like Kirk, Banks can be used as a slot receiver or an outside receiver with equal effectiveness. He doesn't allow many defenders to get a clean shot at him and normally does not come down with first contact. If you allow him to run free on a fly pattern, forget it. He's gone.
Banks has other natural gifts, including great body control that allows him to adjust to the ball in flight. He's can also change direction rapidly and lose very little speed in the process. Again, that reminds me of someone.
The best word to describe Banks is dynamic. He's a big play machine and his upside is going to be huge. The Aggies have added another massive weapon to what is starting to look like one of the nation's very best receiver units a couple of years down the road.
