Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that the Green Bay Packers will have New Mexico running back Damon Bankston on a pre-draft visit. Notably, Bankston took two kickoff returns for a touchdown in the 2025 season. At the moment, the Packers’ top kickoff options for the 2026 season are receiver Savion Williams (who handled the duties in 2025), receiver Skyy Moore (who was signed this offseason) and cornerback Keisean Nixon (who is a two-time All-Pro at the position).
Bankston
is not ranked on the consensus draft board and is listed as the 36th overall running back in Dane Brugler’s The Beast, meaning that it’s highly likely that Bankston will be an undrafted free agent signing for whatever team ultimately adds him. Per The Beast, he was officially measured in at 5’10” and 196 pounds. Bankston also ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash with a 4.32-second short shuttle at the New Mexico pro day. Bankston was not invited to the NFL combine.
As a ball carrier, Bankston carried the ball 114 times for 635 yards and five touchdowns for the Lobos. He split carries with DJ McKinney in their lone year together at New Mexico. Prior to his time at the FBS level, Bankston played for Weber State in the FCS. While with the Wildcats, he was a two-time all-conference player in the Big Sky, a premier FCS conference, and was named a team captain in 2024.
At Weber State, he ran the ball 392 times for 2,324 yards and 33 touchdowns. Over his entire college career, Bankston has also recorded 729 receiving yards. He only returned kicks four times, all in his sophomore season at Weber State, before making the transition at New Mexico. Bankston has not returned a punt in his college career.
