THE SITUATION
Louisiana Tech's momentum on the recruiting trail continued on Friday as it landed one of the state's top offensive lineman.
Three-star Edna Karr (La.) offensive tackle Kenneth Bannister committed to the Bulldogs, electing to remain in The Boot despite a double-digit offer sheet, including several Power 5 destinations. Memphis, Colorado, Louisville and Arizona State were other finalists for the New Orleans native.
Bannister recently narrowed his options down to five, but followed his heart to Ruston, La., due to a longstanding relationship with Louisiana Tech assistant Brock Hays, who like Bannister attended Edna Karr.
Bannister is the sixth addition to Louisiana Tech's 2021 recruiting class and the second three-star to join the group this week. Bannister is the No. 14 overall prospect in Louisiana and No. 64-ranked offensive tackle in the country, according to Rivals.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
"It was all about family and trust and love from the whole staff, and me trusting the process that they're gonna put me through."
"It's like I'm leaving a winning team with a brotherhood only to go right back to a system that has all the same things, but different and better, for my future and my career."
"Coach Brock (Hays) and Coach (Robert) Mac (McFarland) played big roles. Coach Brock was the first to really start recruiting me and the second coach to offer me. As time went by, we got closer and closer. We built a bond like I'm his real son and that really helped me with my decision."
RIVALS REACTION
Bannister helped Edna Karr capture three consecutive state championships and brings a winning mentality with him up to Ruston, La. The versatile offensive lineman measures in at 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, so he's a bit undersized but brings position versatility to play left or right tackle or even slide inside to play guard, as he did at the Rivals Camp Series stop in the Crescent City.
Bannister is proven in pass protection. He extends his arms well and has quick hips. He's athletic and can move in space to battle quicker defenders across the edge. Bannister is the anchor of Karr's offensive line that is tasked with pass-blocking quite a bit as plays develop downfield and he's a proven commodity in that area.
It's easy to see a future for Bannister as an interior lineman as well. He can block well in space and put defenders on their backsides due to his natural power. He's a block-to-the-whistle, blue-collar mentality player that has a tendency to finish out blocks.
Moving forward, Bannister will need to add some more strength and continue to build up his frame. He'd benefit from exploding out of his stance more, which may help against superior competition. He also has a tendency to play a little high, which will be something easily fixed at Tech.