Joe Banyard facts for kids
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | November 12, 1988 Sweetwater, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 213 lb (97 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Sweetwater (TX) | ||||||||
| College: | UTEP | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2012 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Joseph Aaron Banyard (born in 1988) is an American former professional football player. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Joe played college football at UTEP. He first joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012. Later, he played for the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings. Joe then returned to the Jaguars in 2015.
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Joe Banyard's Early Life and Sports
Joseph Banyard grew up in Sweetwater, Texas. He went to Sweetwater High School. There, Joe was a talented athlete. He played football, ran track, and competed in powerlifting.
High School Football Achievements
In high school football, Joe first played as a defensive back. He was recognized with "Honorable Mention 3A All-State" honors. This means he was one of the best players in his state's division. In his senior year (2007), Joe changed positions. He became a running back. That year, he gained over 1,200 yards and scored 21 touchdowns.
Track and Field Success
Joe Banyard was also a top track athlete. He was a state qualifier in sprinting. In 2005, as a sophomore, Joe competed at the Texas State Meet. He was part of Sweetwater's relay teams. In the 4 × 100m race, his team finished second. They set a new school record of 41.98 seconds. Joe and his teammates also placed third in the 4 × 200m and 4 × 400m relays.
As a junior in 2006, Joe ran the 200-meter dash in 23.21 seconds. In his senior year, he placed third in the long jump at a regional meet. His jump was 6.64 meters (about 21 feet, 9.5 inches). Joe also ran the 400-meter dash in 50.51 seconds, which was his personal best.
Joe was considered a "two-star recruit" by Rivals.com. This means he was seen as a promising player, but not one of the very top recruits. He decided to play college football at TCU in January 2007.
College Football Journey
Joe Banyard began his college football career at TCU. Before his first year, he transferred to Eastern New Mexico University. Later, he moved to UTEP. Joe started playing in his junior season at UTEP. He led his team in rushing attempts with 109. He also gained 623 rushing yards and scored eight touchdowns.
Joe Banyard's Professional Football Career
After the 2012 NFL draft, Joe Banyard was not chosen by any team. However, he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent. This means a team signed him even though he wasn't drafted.
New Orleans Saints
On June 7, 2012, Banyard signed with the New Orleans Saints. But on September 13, 2012, the team waived him. This means they released him from their roster.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings then signed Joe Banyard. He spent the rest of the 2012 season on their practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but don't usually play in games. They can be called up to the main team if needed.
Joe was released by the Vikings in August 2013. This happened as teams cut players to reach a 53-man roster limit. He was signed back to the practice squad the next day. He was released again a few days later, but then re-signed to the practice squad on September 10, 2013. In December 2013, Banyard was added to the Vikings' active roster. This meant he could play in games. However, he was waived again two days later, then re-signed to the practice squad. Joe was released by the Vikings for the last time in August 2015.
Jacksonville Jaguars (Second Time)
Joe Banyard returned to the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad on October 14, 2015. This happened after two other running backs were placed on injured reserve. "Injured reserve" means players are out for the rest of the season due to injury. The next week, Joe was moved to the active roster. When another player, Toby Gerhart, got injured, Banyard was promoted to third-string running back.
The Jaguars released Joe Banyard again on September 4, 2016. He was re-signed by the team on December 27, 2016.
Buffalo Bills
On March 17, 2017, Banyard signed with the Buffalo Bills. He was released by the Bills in October 2017. He was re-signed later that month, but released again three days later.
