Keshawn Banks

Early life

Banks was born on December 21, 1999, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He attended Rio Rancho High School and played football, basketball and track; he won three varsity letters while playing football and helped the team compile an undefeated 13–0 record and win the state championship in 2016. He received all-district, all-metro and all-state honors while being the metro defensive player of the year and being invited to the North–South all-star game. He totaled 133 tackles, 18 sacks, eight pass deflections, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in his high school career, including 55 tackles, 10 sacks and four pass deflections as a senior. A three-star recruit, he committed to play college football for the San Diego State Aztecs.

College career

Banks played in 12 games as a true freshman at San Diego State University in 2018 and had seven tackles. He became a starter in 2019 and was named second-team All-Mountain West Conference (MWC) after totaling 43 tackles, 13.5 tackles-for-loss and 4.5 sacks. He started seven games in 2020 and had 14 tackles, being named honorable mention All-MWC. Banks was named second-team all-conference for the second time in 2021, recording 35 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, 15 quarterback hurries and five sacks. In his final season, 2022, he was named honorable mention all-conference and made 40 tackles, 11.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks. He ended his collegiate career having started his final 47 games and placed sixth in school history with 42 tackles-for-loss; he also had 137 tackles.