Brian Banks, the one-time five-star football recruit who was recently cleared of all charges stemming from a false rape accusation, will finally receive a chance to play professional football.
According to the Washington Post, the 26-year-old Banks is signing with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. The team will announce the signing at a news conference held today.
“We’re very pleased to be able to welcome this young man to the UFL and give him an opportunity in football that was denied him years ago,” Locomotives head coach Jim Fassel said in a statement released by the team.
Fassel’s involvement in professional football spans over three decades, but most fans may recall Fassel from his seven-year tenure as the head coach of the New York Giants.
As previously reported on Atlanta Black Star, Banks served more than five years in prison after a former acquaintance accused the former USC recruit of kidnapping and raping her in a Long Beach Polytechnic hallway.
The accuser contacted Banks once he was released from prison, and in an attempt to make amends offered to help Banks clear his name. After his acquittal, Banks received invitations to try out for the Seattle Seahawks, San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.
Banks eventually took part in Seahawks mini-camp, and was extremely grateful to Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. Carroll was the coach at USC when Banks made his verbal commitment before his original conviction over a decade ago. But Banks didn’t make the team.
