The Tulane Green Wave picked up a former Power Four defensive back in the transfer portal to add experienced veterans to the room.
The Tulane Green Wave aren’t done yet with their efforts in the transfer portal. While the portal window officially closed on Friday night, all players who entered during the period are still available for schools to sign ahead of spring practice. The Green Wave have a lot of positions of need, including in their secondary with a lot of outgoing transfers and others graduating. That room more than any needs experienced players with collegiate snaps. Tulane took the route of developing players on the roster last season, and that inexperience showed at times. In addition, the transfer portal times almost make development a lost art. The Green Wave will return one of those corners in E’zaiah Shine, who was primarily the team’s field corner last season.
It’s unclear who will line up at boundary corner just yet, or at starting spear. But Tulane added some more competition to that room on Friday when former USF Bulls defensive back Kajuan Banks announced his commitment. Banks played at nickelback – or slot, known as spear for the Green Wave – for the Bulls. He totaled 38 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss in two seasons with South Florida. He came over to the Bulls from the South Carolina Gamecocks originally. Banks played in all 13 games for the Gamecocks as a true freshman, mostly on special teams. He played in all 12 games in 2023 and made 10 starts at nickel for South Carolina in 13 appearances in 2024.
Banks has a career 30 solo tackles, 51 total tackles, two sacks, one interception, and six pass breakups. He seemed to back up Jarvis Lee for the Bulls in 2025, and most of his production at USF came in 2024 – including his 30 of his 51 total sacks, two career sacks and four pass deflections.
The 5-foot-10, 188-pound defensive back is originally from Tallahassee, Fl., and adds veteran experience to the secondary with one season of eligibility remaining. It’s not clear where he’ll slot in yet, but with his primary position at nickelback, it seems he’ll look to compete at the spear spot. Tulane must replace former starter Javion White, who transferred to the Houston Cougars. TJ Smith is returning at the position.
Smith transferred to the Green Wave last spring from East Central and appeared in all 14 games this last season backing up White. He totaled 24 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one quarterback hit, and a blocked kick on special teams. Smith showed off considerable short area quickness and was a solid blitzer at the spear role. It’ll be curious to see if Tulane continues to develop within or will look elsewhere for more experience in Banks. The spear role last season saw White step in as starter after backing up Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Caleb Ransaw the year prior. Promoting Smith to the starter role will follow along with that trajectory.
But depth is arguably as important as the starters. For one, the Green Wave wouldn’t have known what they had in White as much if he hadn’t seen real time on task in the 2024 season. Same with Smith last year – special teams snaps only offer so much insight. That, and Smith has experience in the system. Either way, the starter will need a backup, whoever it may be. Just as important is the experience on the sidelines to know how routes will declare, and for players to be able to teach teammates. For that reason alone, the addition of Banks is a strong one.