Mizzou now has a commit on both sides of the ball.
Northern Illinois transfer safety Santana Banner confirmed to the Tribune on Monday morning that he has committed to Missouri football . Banner is the first defensive pledge to commit to the Tigers in the December transfer portal window and the second overall after Mississippi State wide receiver Kevin Coleman announced his signing Saturday. PowerMizzou of 247Sports first reported Banner's commitment.
Banner just finished his redshirt freshman season with NIU and was part of the Huskies defense that helped take down Notre Dame in Week 2.
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The safety played five games as a true freshman in 2023, mostly as a member of NIU's punt and kickoff return teams. His fifth appearance was in Northern Illinois' bowl game, preserving a redshirt that leaves him with three years of eligibility once he arrives at MU.
This season, Banner — listed at 6 foot 3, 202 pounds — played in all 12 games for the Huskies and recorded 54 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and an interception, which he returned 29 yards. Originally from Flint, Michigan, Banner was a three-star commit for the Huskies in the Class of 2023 out of Mountain View High in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
Banner is unlikely to be Missouri's last transfer portal commit in the secondary.
Three key members of Missouri's safety rotation are set to run out of eligibility. Joseph Charleston, Tre'Vez Johnson and Sidney Williams Sr. will graduate after the bowl game. Backup safety Phillip Roche also has entered the transfer portal.
Mizzou will return starters in Marvin Burks Jr. at the strong safety spot and Daylan Carnell at the hybrid linebacker/safety 'Star' position. After that, MU needs some depth.
True freshman Trajen Greco played in every game this season, mostly on special teams units, and appears to be in line for a bigger defensive role next year. Caleb Flagg is the only other eligible returner with extensive in-game experience.
Mizzou signed four-star safety Charles Bass out of East St. Louis to its Class of 2025 earlier this month, and also has Class of 2024 safety Jackson Hancock eligible to return next season.
The Tigers are likely to chase at least one more safety in the winter transfer portal window, and more than likely will attempt to land two more to bolster its two-deep for next year.
Banner was ranked as the No. 146 available player in On3's transfer portal rankings at the time of his commitment, which makes him the 12th-ranked safety on the board.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football gets commit from Northern Illinois safety Santana Banner
