COLUMBIA, Mo. – Santana Banner transferred to Missouri to join a crowded safety room from to top to bottom. He'd racked up 54 tackles, four tackles, a forced fumble and an interception, in his freshman season with the Northern Illinois Huskies.

Still, it would be an uphill battle for Banner to carve himself a role in year one at Missouri.

Former 4-star prospect and seven-season veteran Jalen Catalon had transferred to Missouri from UNLV, and was voted team captain early on. Fellow team captain Daylan Carnell was returning for his fifth season with the Tigers, and was fresh off a 51-tackle, six passes defended season. Former 4-star prospect Marvin Burks Jr. was also returning for his third season at Missouri, and earned himself a starting role early in the season. 3-star safety Mose Phillips III rounded out the upperclassmen. Senior Caleb Flagg was also with the team, but would quickly lose his role in the rotation and enter the transfer portal in the middle of the season. 

4-star sophomore Trajen Greco was poised for an increased role in his sophomore season, and 3-star freshman CJ Bass III was making an eager transition to safety. 

And then there was Banner: a 3-star redshirt sophomore making the jump from the MAC to the SEC. He entered the program with no merit, and had to earn his stripes to play for the Tigers – which he did, of course. 

From day one of fall camp to nine days before the start of the season, Banner had stuck out amongst his teammates as the biggest improver. 

“I'd definitely say Santana Banner,” Carnell said when asked who had made the biggest jump from the start of fall camp to Aug. 19. "He done made a big jump throughout camp. Made a lot of plays, and he became more consistent as time went on."  

Banner had begun to catch eyes. His positionally large frame was enough to bring him into the program, but the work he put in was what would allow him to stick. 

Quickly, Missouri realized Banner could play many roles on defense, and effectively at that. Banner logged 37 total snaps between defense and special teams in the season opener against Central Arkansas, playing at seven different positions throughout the game ranging from defensive line, to free safety to kick return. 

“Yeah, he plays in on our sub packages, and then rotates, obviously, with the safety group,” Drinkwitz said of Banner Oct. 21. “Does a really good job of man-to-man coverage, which is going to be something that has to continue to evolve when we bring pressure. But he's an instinctual player and a physical player that's got great size and come running.”

Fast forward to Week 11, and Banner has logged 381 snaps across 10 positions between defense and special teams – the most of any of Missouri's non-starters, and the most of the safety group. His versatility is what's prompted the coaches to deploy Banners so often. 

His 105 snaps at free safety is where he's spent most of his time at, but his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame allowed him to be used in experimental ways, blurring the lines of positions. He's spent 94 snaps in the box alongside stud run-stuffers like Josiah Trotter and Khalil Jacobs, holding his own as a viable run defender within Missouri's defense. 

“I think, just with his physique, you know, he's really big,” Catalon said. “He can make plays all over field. He can play down, he get in the box, he can play up and post safety as well."

But Banner's growth as a player had to do with character development as much as it did drills and practice. Jumping from the MAC to the SEC was more than just a physical leap, just look at the SEC's motto, "It just means more."

Each conference game has high stakes, every team has superstars on both sides of the ball and every program has rumors swirling left and right. Being part of an SEC program is more than just playing good football, it's about growing into the job. 

Banner did that. 

“Honestly, his maturity,” Catalon said on Banner’s biggest area of improvement. “He's always been mature  coming in. But you always say, when the season goes along, you'll start seeing those guys true character come out. And he handles these really well, you know, I think he's done a really good job with the UPS. Did a really good job with the downs. He's been taking the great coaching points. You know, I think that's hard to do as a young guy, of course, so I think he's done a really good job with this season overall."

His development plunged him into a key role not only for this season, but for years down the line. So long as he sticks around at Missouri, the Tigers have a versatile and effective contributor on the defensive side of the ball. 

"He's got a really good future here," Catalon said. "He does really good, really good things for his defense, and I'm ready to see what he does for us these next four games, and plus coming off this season, down the road in the future.”