Long Beach, CA (KTLA) -- Former high school football star Brian Banks, who was exonerated in a rape case after spending years behind bars, has received six invitations to try out for NFL teams.
Back in 2002, Banks was a 16-year-old rising football star at Long Beach Poly Tech when classmate Wanetta Gibson, then 15 years old, accused him of kidnapping and raping her.
Banks, who had a full scholarship offer to USC at the time, always maintained his innocence.
But at the advice of his attorney, Banks pleaded no contest rather than risk 41 years to life in prison if he was convicted at trial.
Banks spent five years behind bars and five years on probation with an electronic monitoring device.
The case turned when Gibson 'friended' Banks on Facebook, explaining that she wanted to "let bygones be bygones."
Gibson met with Banks and admitted she had lied, according to court documents in the case.
Her admission paved the way for Banks' exoneration.
Now Banks is trying get his football career back on track.
His first tryout is scheduled with the Seattle Seahawks June 7.
He has also arranged workouts with the Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs.
Banks has been in contact with the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons.
Banks is also planning to file a claim against the state.
"We do plan on filing a state claim for the $100 a day Brian is entitled to under State Law 4900 for every day he was wrongfully incarcerated," said Justin Brooks of the California Innocence Project.
After the alleged rape, Gibson won a $1.5 million settlement in a civil suit against the Long Beach Unified School District.
She claimed that the school's lax security provided an unsafe environment that led to the alleged rape.
It is unclear if she will have to pay back the settlement money.
