April 28, 2008

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman wide receiver James Banks (Indianapolis, Ind.) and defensive tackle Anthony Toribio (Miami, Fla.) both signed contracts with NFL teams today. Banks signed with the Cleveland Browns and Toribio with his hometown Miami Dolphins.

Banks, who has been working out at home in Indianapolis, will head to Cleveland to work out in the Browns rookie camp this weekend. As a junior, he caught 22 passes for 370 yards for the Eagles, averaging 33.6 yards per grab. He also averaged 5.4 yards per punt return, including one for 41 yards in C-N's 29-17 win at Chattanooga (FCS). His key role in 2007, may have been as a decoy, as Banks would often draw a double team, allowing the Eagles to run their veer-option the other way for almost 500 yards and 49 points per game.

Toribio, who will tryout for the Dolphins this weekend and graduate next Saturday, was a first team All-South Atlantic Conference selection in 2007, after recording 24.5 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss. The 6'2, 305-pound senior redshirted in his freshman season at C-N, before becoming a key player on the Eagles' defensive line for four years. The Miami native emerged as one of the top defensive tackles in the country in his final season at Mossy Creek, helping the Eagles amass 41 sacks.

Carson-Newman finished the 2007 season 10-1, winning its 18th South Atlantic Conference title.