One of the state’s top prep football prospects has given Kansas University an early nonbinding oral commitment.
Banks Floodman, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound safety/tailback from Wichita Collegiate, committed to KU after attending the Jayhawks’ spring game on Saturday. He’s the second high school junior to have given Kansas an early pledge. Grandview (Mo.) High linebacker Anthony Brown — another ballyhooed regional prospect — cast his lot with Kansas last month.
Floodman picked KU over Missouri, Houston and Colorado.
“I picked a college I could see myself at if I got hurt in football, and that’s where I wanted to go,” Floodman said. “I grew up a big KU fan. I knew that’s where I wanted to go and I didn’t want to go through all that recruiting pressure, so I committed early.”
Floodman rushed for 1,480 yards last season. He twisted an ankle and barely played in two games, so most of those yards came in 10 games. Collegiate was 11-1 last season.
Collegiate coach Mike Gehrer — who also coached current KU wideout Harrison Hill and former Jayhawk Michael Lies at Collegiate — said Floodman ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash and projected as a safety in college.
“We played him a free safety last year, and we were disappointed we didn’t get him in the mix more, so he’ll be an outside linebacker this year,” Gehrer said. “His motor runs all the time, and he’s very, very active.
“Banks has really grown into his status as a Division One kid. We had guys like Lies and Harrison Hill and Hamilton Hill and DeAngelo Evans in practice, and it was real evident by the end of the season that Banks was of the same caliber. He’s definitely going to be one of the top prospects in the state. A lot of people don’t know about him, but he’s gotten so much bigger, so much stronger. He’s put on 20 pounds since football ended. He lives in the weight room.”
In addition to his rushing yards, Floodman had 180 receiving yards on eight catches, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
He was a first-team all-league pick and an honorable mention all-stater as a junior.
John Kirby, of recruiting service MoKan Football, thinks highly of Floodman.
“I’d say he’s one of the top three junior prospects in the state right now,” Kirby said. “Nobody knows enough about the juniors to rate them, but this is a good year for Kansas. There might be eight kids who sign D-I, and there were only five this year. There could be as many as 13 next year. It’s a big year in numbers and quality.”
Gehrer was tickled with Floodman’s pick.
“The thing with KU football right now, from what I saw, is things are on the upswing,” Gehrer said. “Even last year, they had a pretty good defensive football team. If they get everybody healthy on offense, they’ve got things headed in the right direction. KU should be an easy place to recruit to, with the facilities and environment they’ve got there. It’s a great place to be with what they’ve done with the football stadium and everything. It could end up being one of the better places in the Big 12. They’re building a program like K-State, but you don’t get it done overnight.”
— Andrew Hartsock’s phone number is 832-7216. His e-mail address is ahartsock@ljworld.com.
