Marcus Banks has spent the final semester of his high school career bettering himself.

That’s one of the things Alabama cornerbacks coach Karl Scott told the 4-star prospect after he committed to the Crimson Tide on Jan. 5 and ahead of his arrival on Alabama’s campus on May 27.

“The offseason’s been real good,” Banks told BamaOnLine in an exclusive interview. “I’ve just been trying to focus on getting my weight up, focus on getting my body movements right. Coach Scott’s been showing me a lot of the plays and stuff like that and the techniques we’ve got to learn. So, I’ve really been just mainly focusing on that and getting mentally ready to move in.

“... Just like don’t worry about everybody else, just focus on being the best player that I can be. And he said basically just come in and focus, and just come in ready to work.”

Banks has done exactly that.

Listed at 6-foot, 166 pounds, the Houston, Texas, native said he has bulked up by 10 pounds since ending his recruitment. Now weighing 176 pounds, he has been busy in the weight room, as well as the classroom, where Banks is set to graduate in the top 10 percent of his class at Dekaney.

Graduating Top 10% ???? — Marcus Banks (@MarcusBanks1k) May 20, 2019

“Academics are important,” Banks said. “They’ve always been important to me because my mom, she’s been really pushing me on academics. Especially coming into college, it’s even more important because if your grades aren’t right, you can’t play. That’s one thing you’ve really got to be focused on, especially focused on your major, you want to get that degree. So, I feel like that’s a motivation for me to come in and just keep my grades right.”

Off the field, Banks will major in criminal justice at Alabama, while on it, he is ready to begin his college career at cornerback -- with some Star sprinkled in -- under Scott and head coach Nick Saban. The former was Banks’ secondary recruiter and played a factor in the Tide landing his signature.

“I love Coach Scott,” Banks said, “He’s one of the main reasons that I committed because I had real trust in him when I was talking to him. He’s just a real laid-back guy. I feel like I can trust him. And he’s just a real cool guy. Like he was real with me throughout the whole recruiting process.

“It didn’t really feel like I was getting recruited by him. It just felt like we had a good relationship already and I knew him for a long time.”

Banks was the nation’s No. 13 cornerback, the No. 21 player in Texas and the No. 127 overall prospect in the 2019 recruiting cycle, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. His relationship with Scott played a factor in his decision, but so did Alabama as a program in general.

“What really stood out about them is, first of all, the relationship I had with the coaches. They kept it real with me throughout the whole recruiting process. And it’s Alabama,” Banks said. “They were No. 1, I wanted to win and I felt like I was the best and that I could play there. So, I couldn’t really give a valid reason on why not to go there.

Alabama signee Marcus Banks

“Some recruits were telling me that the reason they didn’t choose Alabama was because they didn’t think they would play there, and that’s OK because it’s obviously not for them. But coach told me that I would have a good chance to play, they were No. 1 and they have No. 1 draft picks almost every year. I couldn’t give a valid reason, so I feel like if you can’t give a reason not to go there then why not go there?”

Banks said he is most looking forward to the change of scenery college life will present. He is excited about meeting new people and “just getting to work, man. I’ve just been ready to get with the team and build a bond with my new teammates and get ready for the season.” He said he will be roommates with fellow defensive back Brandon Turnage and linebacker Christian Harris.

As for what he hopes to accomplish over the summer after enrolling, it will be a continuation of what he focused on after committing -- continuing to add weight and learning Alabama’s playbook.

“When I step on campus, I think the main thing I’ll be focused on is my body, just basically getting to where I need to be weight-wise,” Banks said. “Just getting stronger and faster, learning the playbook because I feel like if I get all that down, I’ll be in good hands with playing and everything like that. Really the main thing is just learning the playbook and getting stronger and faster.”

His aspirations for his freshman season, however, are a bit loftier.

“To be All-SEC first team, Freshman All-American and to win a national championship,” he said.

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

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