49ers get three-day look at Banks

Brian Banks is a free man. And he's also a free agent.The aspiring NFL linebacker is in Santa Clara on Monday to take part in the 49ers' three-day rookie minicamp, his agent confirmed. Banks, 26, is getting a late start in the NFL after it took 10 years for him to be exonerated from a rape charge.His conviction was dismissed on May 24 when the alleged victim admitted she made up the story.Banks last week participated in a Seattle Seahawks minicamp. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, then at USC, recruited Banks out of Long Beach Poly. Banks has also made recent trips to work out for the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs."He exceeded my expectations," Carroll told reporters in Seattle. "He looked much more comfortable than I thought he would. He's not in good shape yet and he's a ways from that, but I was really surprised that he fit in as well as he did."Size-wise, strength-wise and all that kind of stuff he's in the right kind of profile so he did a good job. We've got to look at the film and see what's going on with that, but I was really proud of him."Yet, Banks remains a free agent. And, now, the 49ers will get their chance to evaluate his professional football possibilities. Banks disclosed on Thursday that the 49ers would be his next stop.
Banks (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) is expected to see a lot of action at middle linebacker this week with the 49ers. Undrafted rookie Joe Holland is not expected to be available to participate in the practices after sustaining a right foot injury during last week's mandatory full-squad minicamp.The 49ers have one spot available on their 90-man roster after the club released long-snapper Brian Pontbriand last week.Coach Jim Harbaugh is not scheduled to attend the three days of rookie workouts. He is helping build houses in Peru as part of a church program. The practices during the 49ers' rookie minicamp are closed to the media.Banks, accused of raping a high-school classmate in 2002, pleaded no contest to one count of forcible rape and spent five years in prison. Upon his release, he was forced to register as a sex offender and wear an electronic monitoring bracelet for another five years."Football is a passion for me, and I love it dearly," Banks told Peter King of Sports Illustrated. "But it does not define me. If I don't make it, I'm still free. I'm free. I've got my freedom back."