GREEN BAY, Wis. — Damon Bankston, a human Swiss Army knife who accounted for 10 total touchdowns last season, will be taking a pre-draft visit with the Green Bay Packers, according to Tom Silverstein.
He'll be the third running back to be hosted on a top-30 visit by the Packers, joining Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr. and Indiana's Kaelon Black. Bankston is the smallest of the trio, standing at 5'10" and 196 pounds, but he possesses immense versatility that the other two don't.
Bankston can run and catch -- he accumulated 1,032 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns last season for New Mexico -- but he's blossomed into a dynamic threat in the return game, too. He returned 12 kickoffs for 434 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Lobos, including a 100-yard return against Minnesota in the Rate Bowl. If you're keeping score at home, that's 1,466 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Packers are on the hunt for a competent, designated return man after nine different players returned a kick or a punt for them last season. They signed Skyy Moore in free agency, and as of right now, he's the leader in the clubhouse to carry out that duty -- that doesn't mean they're going to avoid pouncing on any opportunity to widen their pool of candidates.
Damon Bankston returns a kickoff 100 yards against Minnesota in the Rate Bowl. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Not only can Bankston provide value on special teams, but he has the opportunity to make his mark in the Packers' backfield as well. The team is searching for a No. 2 behind Josh Jacobs following the departure of Emanuel Wilson in free agency. Wilson signed a deal with the Seattle Seahawks, leaving Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong Jr., and Damien Martinez in the stable. Brooks is the best pass-protecting tailback on the roster and is almost exclusively weaponized on obvious passing downs, and Lloyd, a former third-round pick, has yet to prove that he can remain healthy.
Prior to transferring to New Mexico, Bankston played four years at Weber State. He rushed for 709 yards and eight touchdowns in his 2022 sophomore season, but in 2023, he sustained a season-ending injury after just five games. He returned in 2024 for his junior campaign and what would ultimately be his last season with the Wildcats, galloping for 1,104 yards and six touchdowns across 11 games. Bankston, a team captain, earned second-team All-Big Sky Conference honors, capping off his tenure with the program on a high note.
Even with a new school, Bankston's production didn't falter. He still led the Lobos with 634 rushing yards while splitting carries with DJ McKinney, who finished with a distant 464, but led the team with seven touchdowns to Bankston's five. Bankston was third on the team in receiving yardage -- his 397 yards finished behind tight end Dorian Thomas and wideout Keagan Johnson.
Damon Bankston accounted for 10 total touchdowns for the Lobos in 2025. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Despite an impressive college career, Bankston wasn't invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. He did have the opportunity to showcase his talents at New Mexico's Pro Day on March 23, and the Packers were one of 15 teams in attendance.
"I feel like I showed my quickness," he told Yahoo Sports. "I showed my agility in the running back drills, showed that I can catch out of the receiver position out of the slot. So, I just showed some versatility today, and that I can just do multiple things on the football field.
"From the scouts that I have talked to, all of the conversation was good -- all of them liked my versatility, and that's the most dynamic thing I bring to the team. God willing, I get to the next level, but it's good to come out here and finally have the day done. We'll see what happens."
Bankston ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds, hammered out 21 reps on the bench press, measured a 33-inch vertical jump, and his broad jump came in at 10'03". He finished with 20-yard shuttle and 3-cone times of 4.32 and 6.89, respectively. He's expected to go undrafted, barring a team taking a swing on him on day three. He'll likely be a priority free-agent acquisition for the Packers if they were to pursue him.
Zachary Jacobson is the Editor-in-Chief of Packer Report. He is entering his 12th season covering theGreen Bay Packers. He is a member of thePro Football Writers of America. Follow him on Twitter@zacobson or contact him via email atitszachariahj@gmail.com