TCU’s Ben Banogu has picked up the linebacker position in ‘snap of a finger’
Ben Banogu says a little prayer every time he steps on a football field. It doesn’t matter if it’s before a practice or a game.
Banogu’s middle name, Chinomso, means “God is always near me,” and Banogu never forgets that.
“I go out and give it my all. God is always going to take care of me,” said Banogu, a Nigerian native who moved to Texas when he was six months old.
“Whatever I do, everything is going to be OK at the end of the day.”
This week, that means making the most of his opportunity at the Senior Bowl. He wants to show pro scouts he has the ability to make a seamless transition from stand-up pass rusher at TCU to strong-side linebacker in the NFL.
The early signs are positive.
Oakland Raiders linebackers coach David Lippincott has been impressed with how quickly Banogu has adapted. Banogu looked confused during the first meeting with Lippincott, who might as well have been speaking gibberish.
“He looked at me like I was crazy a couple times,” Lippincott said, smiling. “But then we showed clips of what we do and he could see other guys doing it, even going back to when our staff was in Cincinnati. Once he saw it, he picked it up just like that -- in a snap of a finger.”
The change is a welcomed challenge for Banogu, who earned first-team all-Big 12 honors last season.
Banogu has made strides each practice this week. A highlight play happened in the bowls’ final padded practice Thursday, when he made a nice read to stuff Michigan running back Karan Higdon at the line of scrimmage in team drills.
Showing he’s not a liability against the run is among the top priorities for Banogu.
“I feel like I kind of got a knock on some of that stuff going into the season,” Banogu said. “This week more for me is to just prove that I can do just about anything. That I can fly around and make plays wherever they put me in. [Thursday] showed a little bit of that.”
Banogu took reps at end when they went into a nickel package, and has even gotten a little work at under tackle. At the end of the day, Banogu is open to whatever position a team feels he’s best suited for.
He checked in at 6-foot-3, 247 pounds with an 80-inch wingspan. A frequent question by NFL scouts has been his heaviest playing weight (265 pounds), but he feels good with where he’s at for now.
“I think 247 is an ideal weight that I’m used to carrying,” Banogu said. “I play well, I play fast at that weight. If they need me to gain weight, I can easily do that.
“I just want to show I can play anywhere in the front seven.”
Versatility is coveted by pro teams and Banogu provides that. He showcased his speed rushing ability off the edge at TCU, posting 8 1/2 sacks in each of the past two seasons, as well as dropping into coverage.
“I feel like I’m just adding to my book [at the Senior Bowl],” said Banogu, who will train for the NFL Combine in the coming weeks at EXOS in San Diego.
The Senior Bowl has been a positive for Banogu by most accounts. His ability to be a quick study will sit well with NFL teams. Count Lippincott among those impressed.
“We threw multiple coverages at him and he did a good job of picking them up,” Lippincott said. “He did a great job in meetings. He’s so strong and physical … such a strong player.”
For Lippincott, it’s not surprising to see a TCU player handle himself well. This is a guy who spent 10 years on the Cincinnati Bengals coaching staff, going against former TCU quarterback Andy Dalton from 2011-17 everyday in practice, before joining the Raiders.
“I love watching TCU guys when you pull up film,” Lippincott said. “You know they’re going to play hard. They’re going to play physical.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2019 at 12:00 PM.