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With their first overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, No. 24 overall, the New York Giants selected Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks.
The Giants gave up picks No. 160 in Round 5 and No. 240 in Round 7 to move up one spot in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A run on wide on wide receivers saw Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Quentin Johnston, Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison selected with picks 20-23. Set to pick at No. 25, the Giants had both Banks and Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. on the board, as well as a number of other options.
They wanted Banks, a 6-foot, 197-pound cornerback enough to move up one spot.
Where he fits
Banks is a physical, press-man cornerback with size, athleticism and decent length. He profiles as exactly the type of player Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale needs to help his secondary.
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In his prospect profile of Banks, BBV’s Chris Pflum said:
“Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks has a great blend of athleticism, physicality, and versatility to play the position at the NFL level.
“Banks is an outside corner in Maryland’s scheme and has enough size and plenty of athleticism to stay on the outside in the NFL. He has experience on both the left and right side, and in press-man, off-man, and zone coverage.
“Banks is a physical corner who’s competitive and disruptive in press coverage. He uses his jam early in routes before retreating into his backpedal. Banks has a quick, smooth, and compact backpedal in man coverage, allowing him to gain ground without having to flip his hips early in the route. That said, he does have very fluid hips when the time comes to open or flip his hips. He is easily able to stay in phase with almost all receivers throughout their routes. He also has excellent long speed and is able to carry receivers down the field on vertical routes.
“Banks is also a skilled zone coverage corner. He’s an active communicator both before and after the snap, and does a good job of picking up and passing off receivers as they run through his coverage zones. He doesn’t stick with receivers when they are no longer his responsibility, nor does he find himself just covering grass. Banks also shows good football IQ in diagnosing route concepts and understanding coverage rules. He’s able to seamlessly transition from zone coverage to man coverage when the play demands.
“He is also a willing run defender on the perimeter. He keeps an eye in the backfield when he’s in zone coverage and has a quick downhill trigger from the second level. Likewise, Banks is physical in taking on blockers when the play comes his way.”
What others are saying
ESPN:
Post-Draft Analysis
The Giants need to add talent and depth at corner to match up with the talented receivers they see in the NFC East. Adoree Jackson missed seven games, didn’t have an interception and has the fifth-highest cap hit for a corner this year. In addition, four players had as many interceptions as the Giants (six) last year. Banks isn’t a playmaker, but he has the tools to develop into one. — Muench
Projected Year 1 impact: High-impact Day 1 starter. The Giants’ top need is an outside cornerback, and Banks is that with 6-foot-2 size and 4.38-second 40-yard dash speed on the boundary. He’s physical at the line of scrimmage and has the confidence to be the team’s CB1. — Miller
Banks just feels like a Wink Martindale corner. Good height, long, extremely athletic and is confident in his press ability. He’ll swing and miss sometimes but he’s a very nice fit in New York and can operate next to Adoree Jackson. He’ll need to be coached a little more with his patience, but he’s a great CB for this defense. Grade: B+
Banks is a physical corner with ideal size and high-level athletic tools. He’s a twitchy player with speed but does not have great ball production. The Giants needed help on the back end of their defense and landed a good fit for Wink Martindale’s defense. Grade: B+
More Round 1 coverage
- Giants fans react to selection of Deonte Banks in NFL Draft
- NFL Draft results 2023: Live blog, trades, updates, picks, and more
- Diary of a Giants’ fan’s long day waiting for first-round pick
- Instant analysis: Giants get much-needed CB with selection of Deonte Banks in Round 1
- 2023 NFL Draft prospect profile - Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
- Why did the Giants draft Deonte Banks? Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll explain
He’s coming to New York pic.twitter.com/zt5yPmzF91
— New York Giants (@Giants) April 28, 2023
Giants round-by-round draft selections
Round 1 (No. 24 from Jacksonville) — Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
Round 2 (No. 57) —
Round 3 (No. 89) —
Round 4 (No. 128) —
Round 5 (No. 172) —
Round 6 (No. 209) —
Round 7 (No. 243) —
Round 7 (No. 254) —
How to watch the rest of the draft
When: Rounds 2-3, Friday, April 28 at 7 p.m. ET. Rounds 4-7, Saturday, April 29 at Noon ET.
TV: ESPN and NFL Network
SIRIUS: | XM: | SXM App: SiriusXM NFL Radio; and ESPN Radio
Streaming: The NFL draft can be streamed online at ABC.com, ESPN.com and NFL.com or via the ABC, ESPN and NFL apps.
Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook
Other BBV platforms
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Poll
What grade would you give the Giants’ first-round selection of CB Deonte Banks?
This poll is closed
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67%
A
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27%
B
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3%
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0%
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