Giants fans react to selection of Deonte Banks in NFL Draft

The New York Giants’ 2023 first-round pick is now officially in the books.

The odds held true. The +140 favorite position of cornerback was where they went: Deonte Banks from Maryland is joining their defensive back room. This was an ideal scenario for the Giants, who got a shot at Banks after he and Joey Porter Jr. slipped into the 20s.

The 6-foot, 197-pound corner ran a blazing 4.35-second 40-yard dash. He is an elite athlete with the ability to play all over in Wink Martindale’s attacking defense.

To ensure that they could acquire Banks rather than any other team that might have wanted to move up, the Giants traded up one spot with the Jaguars, sending picks 160 and 240 to Jacksonville.

Some of Giants Twitter was pretty disappointed when Jordan Addison went off the board to the Vikings with the 23rd pick. After the pick, some of those fans continued to be dismayed that Joe Schoen did not trade up higher for one of the top receivers in the draft. However, many fans seem to love the pick.

The Giants clearly valued Banks over Porter Jr. if they traded up for the former with both available. Drafts are not won or lost on draft night, but on the surface, at least, it seems like a very solid pick for New York. How they approach the rest of the draft will determine whether fans will still be disappointed by the lack of a first-round receiver.