Rio Rancho is sending another of its top-notch football players to the National Football League.

Former Rio Rancho High School three-sport standout Keshawn Banks signed a free agent deal with the Green Bay Packers over the weekend, following the NFL draft.

He follows fellow City of Vision gridders Alan Branch (Cibola HS), Chris Williams (RRHS) and Grant Hermanns (RRHS) into the pro ranks. Hermanns is still active, trying to win a spot with Tampa Bay, after being on the rosters of the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins in the 2022 season; he saw a few games’ worth of playing time on the field in ’22 with the Jets.

Banks, a 2018 graduate of RRHS, played football and basketball, and participated in track & field for the Rams. He was on the 2016 championship basketball team and the 2016 football championship team.

In the 2022 season, he was a “super senior” at defensive end for San Diego State University, the third season in which he posted double-digit tackles for loss. With the Aztecs, he had been a three-star recruit in 2018 and found himself playing part-time as a true freshman later that year, then was a starter as a sophomore.

“God is good and without him, none of this would be possible,” Banks said. “I’m ready to work, develop and surpass the players I was at SDSU and I believe Green Bay (presents) the perfect opportunity to do so.

“I’m excited for their defense and the opportunity to improve under their system,” Banks said.

According to nfldraftblitz.com, “Banks enters the NFL with a ton of starting experience under his belt (four seasons – 47 starts) and has just seen a ton of ball. The problem with Banks is that he’s a bit too slow to be a speed rusher and a bit too small to be a power rusher. He’s a little bit of a tweener, in that sense, that he has no real place. That being said, he should be a good pro and can get into a rotational role somewhere as he develops his arsenal.”

Former Rams football coach David Howes has confidence in Banks, saying, “We always talked about Keshawn having all the tools – size, speed, IQ – to make it to the NFL.

“He always came from a solid support system and coaches (SDSU) to help him mature and grow into his God-given talents,” Howes added. “he did just that – he matured and grew in a system that highlighted his abilities in multiple areas. We knew he could play on Sundays and it was just a matter of time.

“Our family, New Mexico and the Rio Rancho community are very proud of him,” said Howes. “Now we have to root for the Packers.”

“I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from New Mexico fans and that means a lot to my family,” Banks said. “I can’t emphasize it enough — it is time to work! — and I am ready.”